69 



i 

 forms upon them, the hemes do not mature, especially it it is I 



dry, but grow hard and seedy. The pruning in spring can best i 



be performed by a strong pair of shears upon two long rods which 



enables one to work at a respectful distance. ; 



The liability to be winter killed is more difficult to contend j 

 with, and in our latitude the Early Wilson is almost always de- | 

 stroyed, if not protected. It can generally be preserved by pin- | 

 ning it close to the ground by a shovel or two of earth, or by ! 

 keeping it down by hiying bean poles upon them, and covering 

 with tomato vines or any coarse litter. I find that protecting 

 with earth is the simplest and surest way, and at the north I 

 should think it would pay well, for if this variety survives, it I 

 yields an early and enormous crop. ^ 



The other kinds are such stiff stocky growers that they can- 

 not be bent over and covered, and some winters seriously injure 

 those that are called hardy. Moreover varieties that are hardy ; 

 upon New Jersey sand will not endure winters, farther north. If j 

 we can get a blackberry that is as good as the Early Wilson or 

 Kittatinny and perfectly hardy in the high latitudes, it will be i 

 a great acquisition. There are several new varieties which are | 

 claimed to endure all temperatures, but the same was asserted 

 once of the kinds which we sometimes find shriveled and dead in 

 spring. No degree of frost ever affects the roots, but only the \ 

 bearing canes. The best precaution in the case of the stocky 

 growing kinds is to head back the bushes in summer to the | 

 height of three or four feet, thus causing them to throw out side- 

 shoots low down near the ground so that the snow protects them. : 

 When we are favored with mild winters there is seldom any loss. 

 Only rarely do my vines suffer severe injury. Even to the far ^ 

 north a few Kittatinny bushes can be protected by leaning ever 

 green branches upon them or covering with leaves or any coarse , 

 material. They are so nearly hardy that very little protection ] 

 answers. But the canes of every variety that I have seen, if | 

 allowed to grow thick and high upon rank moist soil will almost I 

 invariably suffer so much with the frost as to be unprofitable. , 



