448 SUCCESSFUL FARMING 



Winter Protection. — In some portions of the Northern states the 

 raspberry can be successfully fruited only by giving it some form of protec- 

 tion during winter. One of the simplest methods of affording such protec- 

 tion is to bend the canes of the plant all in one direction along the line of 

 the row and fasten them either by placing earth upon them or pegging them 

 down. The roots are slightly loosened on one side of each plant and the 

 canes are bent over the roots of its neighbor. After the tops have been 

 properly placed a mound of earth is thrown over them. If after cold weather 

 sets in the earth covering is deemed inadequate, additional protection may 

 be provided by a layer of straw, strawy manure or corn fodder. 



Fertilizers. — Stable manure in moderate quantities, supplemented by 

 a fertilizer carrying 4 to 5 per cent of nitrogen, 10 to 12 per cent of phos- 

 phoric acid and from 6 to 8 per cent of potash, will prove beneficial. Such 

 a fertilizer, if applied at the rate of from 300 to 500 pounds per acre, should 

 so increase the yield as to make its use profitable. 



Pruning. — Because of its manner of fruit bearing, the black raspberry 

 requires care in annual pruning; in fact, pruning must be done at two sea- 

 sons of the year in order to accomplish the best results. The young shoots 

 as they appear from the roots in the spring should be tipped or disbudded 

 when they reach the height of 18 inches. It is better to go over the plan- 

 tation frequently, making three or four trips in all, in order to tip the 

 canes when they are about the height mentioned, rather than to delay the 

 operation until some of them have reached a height of 2 to 2\ feet. The 

 early pinching or disbudding induces the development of more numerous 

 lateral branches. Shoots which have been allowed to harden and to grow 

 2 or 3 feet in height will form few lateral branches. If tipped when 18 inches 

 high, a cane should produce four, five, or six lateral branches. If allowed 

 to attain a height of 3 feet and then cut back to 18 inches, it is probable 

 that not more than two or three lateral branches will be formed; and, 

 since these lateral branches form the fruit-bearing wood of the succeeding 

 season, it is very desirable that the greatest possible number of branches 

 be secured to insure a heavy crop of fruit. It is evident, therefore, that 

 summer pruning predetermines the crop for the succeeding year more than 

 does any other single cultural factor. 



The second pruning, which is also important, consists in removing the 

 canes which bore the last crop of fruit. This work can be done at any 

 time after the crop has been harvested, but preferably during the spring 

 following the crop. If the work is done in the spring the lateral branches 

 borne by the canes which developed from the roots of the mother plant 

 should at the same time be shortened to about 8 to 12 inches in length. 

 From each bud of these short branches annual growth will be made which 

 will terminate in a fruit cluster. 



Harvesting. — Black raspberries to be marketed as fresh fruit for imme- 

 diate consumption are always hand picked and placed in either pint or 

 quart boxes similar to those used for strawberries. Those to be dried or 



