THE HOME FRUIT-GARDEN. 307 



Among the best varieties for sections north of New York 

 City may be mentioned Campbell's Early, Worden, Win- 

 chell (Green Mountain), and the Delaware. South of this 

 latitude many other choice kinds may be grown. 



THE BLACKBERRY. 



Of all garden-fruits none is so easily grown and yet so 

 often a failure as the blackberry. The conditions of suc- 

 cess are a good new soil, if not a deep sandy loam, then a 

 deep well-underd rained clay loam. Plant in the fall or 

 very early in the spring in rows from 6 to 8 feet apart or 

 in hills 4 by G feet, allowing a space of from 10 inches to 

 1 square foot for each cane, and all suckers not desired 

 for the next season's fruiting must be treated as weeds. It 

 is best to allow the suckers not wanted to grow 6 inches to 

 1 foot, and then pull them up rather than to hoe or cut 

 them off. The critical time of growth is when the fruit 

 is ripening, a large amount of moisture being needed to 

 produce the best fruit, and to secure this the surface-soil 

 should be stirred once or twice each week or a mulch of 

 hay, straw ) or other material 2 or 3 inches thick be spread 

 over the surface. At the end of the fruiting season the old 

 canes should be cut out and the small weak new canes be 

 cut or pulled, so that the whole growth may be forced into 

 the canes for the next season's growth. It is the practice 

 of most growers to pinch the ends of the new canes when 

 they are 3 to 4 feet high, which causes them to grow more 

 stocky and require less support. In the more northern sec- 

 tions the canes are bent over and covered lightly with soil 

 to prevent winter-killing. This is a simple matter, and the 

 canes need not be broken if the soil is loosened a little on 



