130 GARDENING DIFFICULTIES SOLVED 



next year's crop are also disappointing. Every autumn I have 

 stirred the surface soil very slightly and then laid on a fairly large 

 quantity of stable manure. Is it possible that I have given them 

 too much of this "I Canes, Haivick. 



A. Your Raspberry plants are very old, and the best thing you 

 can do is to make a new plantation. The medium sized young canes 

 from your old plantation may be used for the new one, but it would 

 be more satisfactory to purchase new canes. The old plants may 

 be retained for one more year until the new ones are remunerative. 

 In the meantime allow the manure to lie on the surface, and do not 

 dig it in either this autumn or in spring. The pruning of Rasp- 

 berries is simple. The fruit is produced on the previous year's 

 growth ; thus the shoots that have fruited are cut out as soon as 

 the fruit is gathered. The young growths are, of course, taken care 

 of and tied up ; they will fruit the next year. 



Gathering Pears 



Q. Can you give me a few hints on gathering Pears ? Amateur , 

 S. Wales. 



A. Test the fruits by gently lifting, when if they part easily 

 from the trees it may usually be safely taken as a sign of readiness 

 for gathering, though not for eating. Late sorts should be allowed 

 to hang as long as possible ; premature gathering of these will 

 cause them to shrivel and be tough and leathery in texture, devoid 

 of juiciness and flavour. 



The Loganberry 



Q. We are thinking of planting the Loganberry here, but as our 

 soil is very heavy, with yellow clay subsoil, would you inform me if 

 you think it would do in this soil? Sutton, Surrey. 



A. Yes ; you may plant the Loganberry in the heavy soil ; the 

 plants will succeed very well. But it is advisable, of course, to 

 trench the ground, and thoroughly break up the subsoil, leaving it 

 below, however. The Loganberry grows vigorously in good soil, and 

 is an admirable plant for covering unsightly fences, ugly corners, etc., 

 or it maybe trained as an espalier. It fruits best when the branches 

 are spread out. The pruning is similar to that needed by the 

 Raspberry. Cut out the old growths as soon as they have fruited, 

 and train in the new to fruit the following year. The best fruits are 

 produced by canes of the previous summer's growth : removing the 

 old shoots encourages the development of new ones. 



