Killing out the Patch 129 



winter, and cultivation go on unimpeded. This may 

 favor a better development and maturity of the canes 

 than when they are allowed to run on the ground. 



HARVESTING AND MARKETING 



Whatever applies to the harvesting and marketing of 

 blackberries will apply equally well to dewberries, except 

 that, coming earlier, they have the market more nearly 

 to themselves. The vines are viciously thorny, and the 

 fruit apt to be so concealed within them as to render the 

 picking difficult and painful. Training the plants to a 

 stake or trellis will in part obviate this difficulty. 



The fruit carries well, and can be put into market in 

 good condition. Like many of the blackberries, though 

 perhaps in a more marked degree, it has the habit of turn- 

 ing black before it is ripe. If picked then it is sour and 

 undesirable; for home market it should be allowed to get 

 thoroughly ripe before being gathered. 



DURATION OF PLANTATIONS 



Dewberries persist well in the soil, sometimes too well, 

 for after they have served their purpose, it is often difficult 

 to get rid of them. They seem often to be unproductive 

 for the first two or three years, afterward coming into 

 more uniform and prolific bearing, and continuing in 

 many cases for a number of years. 



KILLING OUT THE PATCH 



When it becomes necessary to rid a plot of ground of 

 them, vigorous measures must be adopted. While they 



