CHAPTER XX. 



THE BLACKBERRY AND DEWBERRY. 



THE Blackberry requires nearly the same treatment as the 

 Raspberry ; but being more a rampant grower it should have 

 more room, and needs more pruning or pinching. The dis- 

 tances of the rows may be six to eight feet apart, and the 

 plants, if kept single, two feet in the row. Sometimes they 

 are allowed to grow thickly or in a continuous line, in which 

 case they should be kept well cultivated and properly pruned. 



Constant cultivation is always better than much manuring. 



Pruning the blackberry is commonly but little understood. 

 We hear complaints of the rambling and straggling growth of 

 this bush, extending across alleys, tearing dresses, at the 

 same time proving unproductive. This is owing to a neglect 

 of summer pruning. As soon as the new shoots have reached 

 two and a half or three feet in height, the ends should be 

 pinched off with the thumb and finger, which will cause the 

 protrusion of laterals. These in turn may be pinched off 

 when they have grown from twelve to eighteen inches. As 

 soon as the fruit is off (or the operation may be delayed until 

 winter) the canes which have fruited should be cut off at the 

 ground. In the mean time, three to five new canes have been 

 allowed to grow for fruiting the following season. That is, 

 blackberry canes fruit but once (the second year), and the old 

 canes choke the plant, take its strength, and afford breeding 

 places for insects and fungi. The old canes should be burned 

 to destroy diseases and insects. 



The Dewberry is much like the blackberry in fruit, but the 

 canes are trailing. The fruits are earlier than blackberries, 

 and therefore prolong the blackberry season. Cut out the 

 canes, as in blackberries. To facilitate cultivation, tie the 

 growing canes to stakes (one stake for each hill). Cut the 



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