124 BUSH-FRUITS 



replaced by others. If by one system of management 

 a plant can be induced to produce as much in three 

 years as it ordinarily would in five, take the three- 

 year return every time, no matter if at the end of 

 that time the plant is exhausted and no longer prof- 

 itable. Others are ready to take its place, on other 

 ground, and to continue the high -pressure production. 

 The greater the yield, within limits, the greater the 

 profit and the more fun there is in the business. 



KILLING THE PLANTS 



When a plantation has passed its usefulness it may 

 become a difficult task to get rid of it. The capacity 

 of the plants for throwing up shoots from broken 

 roots is then brought into full play, and they make 

 a vigorous fight for life. If the cultivator hesitates 

 or wavers he will surely lose the day. In general, the 

 most practicable method of exterminating them is to 

 mow off and burn the bushes, and plow deep, di- 

 rectly after fruiting. Thorough harrowing with a 

 spring -tooth harrow will then tear out many of the 

 stumps. From that time, all shoots should be kept 

 down by some system of cultivation which will cut 

 them off below the surface of the ground. Replow- 

 ing some two months later will often be found a 

 help. While some shoots may appear the following 

 year, with this system of treatment they will cause 

 no serious trouble in the cultivation of any ordinary 

 crop. If the land is to be used for fine or delicate 

 crops, the stumps will need to be removed. 



