656 THE RASPBERRY AND BLACKBERRY. 



is rich and deep, provided it is fully exposed to the sun and 

 air. 



In making a plantation of raspberries, choose, therefore, an 

 open sunny quarter of the garden, where the soil is good and 

 deep. Plant the suckers or canes in rows, from three to four 

 feet apart, according to the vigour of the sort. Two or three 

 suckers are generally planted together, to form a group or stool, 

 and these stools may be three feet apart in the rows. 



The plantation being made, its treatment consists chiefly in 

 a single pruning, every year, given early in the spring. To 

 perform this, examine the stools in April, and leaving the 

 strongest shoots or suckers, say about six or eight" to each stool, 

 cut away all the old wood, and all the other suckers (except 

 such as are wanted for new plantations). The remaining shoots 

 should have about a foot of their ends cut off, as this part of 

 the wood is feeble and worthless. With a light top-dressing of 

 manure, the ground should then be dug over, and little other 

 care will be requisite during the season. 



When very neat culture and the largest fruit are desired, 

 more space is left between the rows, and after being pruned, 

 the canes are tied to long lines of rods or rails, like an espalier, 

 by which means they are more fully exposed to the sun and 

 light, and the ground between the rows is kept cropped with 

 small vegetables. 



A fine late crop of raspberries is readily obtained by cutting 

 down the canes over the whole stool, in the spring, to within a 

 few inches of the ground. They will then shoot up new wood, 

 which comes into bearing in August or September. 



We have found a light application of salt given with the 

 top-dressing of manure in the spring, to have a most beneficial 

 effect on the vigour of the plants, and the size of the fruit. 



A plantation of raspberries will be in perfection at the third 

 year, and after it has borne about five or six years, it must be 

 broken up, and a new one formed, on another plot of ground. 



All the raspberries except the hardy American varieties 

 should be pruned in the fall. After which bend the canes 

 gently on the ground, and cover them an inch or two deep 

 with earth ; let them remain in the spring until the cold winds 

 are over, or until the buds begin to swell, then take them up 

 and tie them to stakes or frames. 



Varieties. The finest raspberries in general cultivation for 

 the dessert, are the red and white Antwerp, Fastollf, Orange, 

 Gushing, French and Franconia. 



The common American Red is most esteemed for flavouring 

 liqueurs or making brandy, and the American Black is preferred 

 by most persons for cooking. The Ever-bearing and the Ohio 

 Ever-bearing, are valuable for prolonging the season of this 

 fruit till late frosts. 



