Winter-killing 21 



often endure the most trying winters unhurt. Raspberry 

 plants which the writer once removed to a forcing-house 

 in the fall of the year showed all the ordinary symptoms 

 of winter-killing, when starting into growth under glass. 

 Yet these plants had experienced little cold; just enough 

 so that a ball of earth could be taken up and moved with 

 them to the house. 



A current belief is that plants endure the winter better 

 after a comparatively dry fall, favoring a slow, well- 

 ripened growth of wood. The validity of this theory is 

 not established, for slender canes, produced during the 

 latter part of the season, often winter-kill less than those 

 of the whole season's growth. This fact does not warrant 

 the assertion that immature canes are hardier, for canes 

 produced late are smaller, and may make firmer and better 

 wood than those of earlier and more vigorous growth. 

 Some successful berry-growers follow a practice directly 

 opposed to this theory, for they believe in thorough and 

 frequent cultivation up to the time of frost. This favors 

 a late fall growth, producing some wood, at least, which 

 cannot be well ripened when winter sets in. 



Winter protection is an essential feature of berry- 

 growing in many localities. Many growers find the prac- 

 tice profitable even where it is not essential. The in- 

 creased yield, even in mild climates, may more than repay 

 the cost of protection. A crop of fruit is thereby assured, 

 even though the winter prove an unusually trying one. 



Different methods are employed for laying-down the 

 canes. A wagon is sometimes driven over the rows so 

 that the axle shall bend the plants all in one direction. If 

 mulch of any kind is used for covering, it may be loaded 



