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planted, and the roots will follow this and throw up suckers 

 along the rows where they are wanted, instead of in the middle 

 spaces. 



In garden culture six feet by four is a good distance at which 

 to set the plants. There the soil is sufficiently rich, and only 

 clean cultivation and rigorous pruning will be necessary. 



The only difficulties in the way of blackberry culture, are 

 the savage thorns, rampant growth, and liability to be killed by 

 severe winters. The first two obstacles can be overcome by the 

 frequent use of pruning-knife and hook. A little work at the 

 right time saves a great deal of trouble. When a blackberry 

 sucker first appears it is a very innocent and little affair, and a 

 child can pull it up, but, like a bad habit, if left till fully devel- 

 oped, is most formidable, and its removal requires heroic effort. 

 One might almost as well attack a wild-cat as to cope with it 

 bare-handed. When the shoots are young and tender, the hoe, 

 knife, or sickle can easily keep them within bounds. K-eep the 

 rows down as far as possible to a single line of plants standing 

 one foot or eighteen inches from each other. As fast as the 

 suckers, which are to be left for fruiting in the rows, attain the 

 height of four feet, clip off their tops. This causes them to 

 throw out side shoots, and upon these the best fruit is borne. 

 They also intertwine together, forming a sort of hedge, and 

 thus are able to stand without stakes. If well-pruned and 

 headed back, all the varieties, except the Early Wilson, can 

 stand without support. This variety has much of the slender 

 trailing habit of the running blackberry, and needs staking. 

 But cutting it back will greatly increase its stockiness. It may 

 be well perhaps to stake all varieties the second 3'ear, for until 

 the plants become established, the young canes are weak and 

 slender. The regular pruning and cutting out of the old wood 

 can be left till after the buds swell in spring, making one hibor 

 of it. At this time it can be seen which parts are alive, and which 

 have been killed by the frost ; shorten in the side shoots one-half 

 or two-thirds, and more and better fruit will be obtained. When 

 the bushes are left to grow very large and bear all the fruit that 



