GROWING BLACKBERRIES 



481 



The plants sooti occupy the full space in the row, and cultivation is 

 only possible between the rows. Some growers plant blackberries 

 as they do grapevines, seven or eight feet apart both ways, and then 

 cultivate with the horse both ways. Planting in rows is better. 

 The number of plants to fill an acre at different distances can be 

 calculated as described in Chapter XXVI for grapevines. 



D. Edson Smith, of Orange County, who had much experience 

 with small fruits, described his method of laying out and planting 

 on a large scale, with a view to irrigation, as follows : 



Plow deeply and harrow thoroughly several times before setting out. 

 Lastly, open a trench with your plow where the row is to be, twenty inches 

 deep; go along with a basket of plants, a four-foot lath and a shovel, and set 

 a plant in this trench every four feet and fill the dirt around it with the shovel. 

 If this trench is too deep in places for the length of the plant root, fill in with 

 a little dirt; if not quite deep enough in places, scoop out a shovelful. Aim, in 

 preparing the ground with plow and smoother, to leave it dishing each way 

 toward the row of young plants, so that irrigating water turned in at the 

 upper end will run along the row of plants as in a trough. Aim to have the 

 ground around the set plants a few inches below the general level of the land. 

 After the plants are all set in a row, go along with a rake if there are but a 

 few plants, or with a horse-hoe if there are many, and fill in the trench between 

 the plants. It is a pleasure to set out plants in this way, and such deep, rich 

 well-stirred soil delights the plant roots, so that they grow rapidly in every 

 direction, and the plants throw up their heads in a manner entirely satisfac- 

 tory to all concerned. If the ground is dry, or there is no rain soon after 

 setting out the plants, irrigating water should be turned down the row or at 

 least a quart or two of water poured around each plant; then, before the soil 

 hardens, stir it well with cultivator and hoe. All future care resolves itself 

 into frequent waterings and frequent stirrings of the soil. Allow no weeds to 

 appear, and keep three inches of surface soil well loosened with the horse and 

 hoes. These small fruits require frequent waterings, especially when forming 

 fruit and during the fruiting season. 



Cultivation. Thorough cultivation of the surface soil is essen- 

 tial for retention of moisture. After the plants attain size, culti- 

 vation should be secured with as shallow-cutting tools as possible 

 so as to prevent injury to the roots, which not only weakens the 

 plant, but increases the growth of suckers between the rows. A 

 horse-hoe with a long knife running horizontally, or with duck-foot 

 teeth, well sharpened, answers well in keeping the ground clear of 

 weeds and suckers, "and the surface loose. Due regard must, how- 

 ever, be paid to securing sufficient depth in this surface layer to 

 prevent the soil beneath baking hard and drying out, as discussed in 

 the chapter on cultivation. 



Frequency of cultivation depends upon irrigation, for the cul- 

 tivator must always follow the application of water. The spaces in 

 the row which can not be reached with the cultivator must be kept 

 clean from weeds, and free from baking, by the use of the hoe. 

 It is advisable that the cultivation be the cleanest possible, for 

 moisture exhaustion by weeds can not be afforded. 



