The Canadian Horticulturist. 



i33 



RASPBERRY CULTURE. 



CCASIONAL queries convince me that some 

 raspberry notes may be useful. They succeed 

 very well upon well-drained sandy loam, which 

 should previously be deeply plowed and thor- 

 oughly clean as respects grass and weeds. A 

 root crop is a good forerunner. When planting 

 time arrives the ground should be smoothed and 

 marked at right angles. About six feet is a good 

 distance for the rows, with hills four feet asunder. 

 This distance of four feet may be used across the 

 blackberry, currant and gooseberry patches, while the rows of 

 each may vary in width to suit the nature of each. In plant- 

 ing run a plow along the mark and plant while the soil is fresh 

 and moist. This can be done with great speed. During the 

 first year, and all subsequent years, the cultivator should operate lengthwise and 

 crosswise about once every fortnight, avoiding wet weather ; hoe as often as 

 weeds show themselves. Beans, cabbage or potatoes may be grown between the 

 rows the first year. Plants may be shortened in to keep them out of the way. 

 About July 1 st, the second year, we shorten the young canes to two feet and 

 shorten side shoots early in August if they become obstreperous, after that leave 

 them till late in the fall, or the next spring, for the final shortening in. The 

 cultivator should have sharp horizontal steel knives when sprouts show them- 

 selves. Cultivation is necessarily suspended during the picking season, but 

 should be promptly resumed after picking season is past. 



The books tell us to cut out the old wood and leave but few canes so soon 

 as picking is done. This plan has some advantages, but large growers prefer to 

 wait till spring. The old canes support newer ones and stop the drifting snow, 

 and can be speedily removed when leaves are absent. In Northern Ontario it 

 might be as safe to neglect all summer shortening in and grow long single 

 canes. These could be bent over in late autumn and some dirt thrown upon 

 their extreme tops to keep them down. In April the tops should be cut off at 

 say, three feet from the ground. The canes would soon straighten up and go to 

 work. The so-called winter-kill occurs, I think, in April, and is quite apt to 

 show itself with Cuthberts, when the winter is very mild. Cuthberts were 

 injured here in the spring of 1892, when every blackberry, grape, peach and 

 quince came through unharmed. A winter mulch of coarse manure, free from 

 weed seed or grass seed, would no doubt be useful. 



The treatment of raspberries above indicated, will apply fairly well to black- 

 berries, and, except in respect to pruning, to currants and gooseberries. That the 

 2 



