82 THE RASPBERRY. 



The plants should be shortened ten or twelve inches 

 at the top, and set out very early in the spring, at a 

 distance of three to four feet apart, not too deep, in pure 

 earth, with a good proportion of the roots lying near 

 tho surface. Keep them clean, and well staked, with 

 not more than three or four canes in a hill. On gather- 

 ing of the fruit, cut out all the old decayed canes and 

 leave not more than six, eight, or ten of the strongest 

 ones in a hill to ripen for another season of bearing, 

 one-half of which should be transplanted in the fol- 

 lowing spring. 



On the first of September pinch back the most 

 vigorous shoots, so as to check the flow of sap and 

 ripen the wood. 



WINTER PROTECTION. 



The question of winter protection is a difficult and 

 important one. The ordinary custom is to leave them 

 exposed in the garden to the severity of winter, and, 

 as a consequence, the FASTOLF, FRANCONIA, and TRUE 

 ANTWERPS, are rendered almost worthless. Even in 

 Kentucky, those choice varieties require winter protec- 

 tion. The easiest way is to bend the canes down and 

 cover them slightly with earth. Some tie them up 

 in a withe of straw, or evergreen boughs, but these 

 are not always sufficient. 



