Proceedings of the Farmers' Club. 459 



ground between the rows, the first year. The second year, when 

 they commence to fruit, it will pay to mulch the ground. This 

 may be done cheaply by using corn-stalks; but, if in a neighbor- 

 hood where seaweed or salt hay can be obtained, we would prefer 

 it. This may remain on the ground for two years, when it will be 

 time to plow it under. The raspberry, like the strawberry, may 

 be stimulated by liquid manures, and thus prolong their fruitful- 

 ness. The second year some support will be necessary; what that 

 will be, depends upon the planter's pocket. As a matter of 

 economy, cedar or oak stakes, five feet long, and pointed at the 

 ends, will do; if dipped in hot coal tar, it will preserve them much 

 longer than if not so treated. If economy is no object, wire trel- 

 lises are the best, for the canes may be trained so as to get the full 

 benefit of the sun, and ripen quicker. Another plan may be 

 adopted, of making one stake do for two hills, by driving the stake 

 between the hills; half the canes on either side are brought over 

 and tied to the stake. Another very neat way is, to take a stake 

 and bore three holes, about eighteen inches apart, through the 

 center; insert three sticks of different lengths, making it somewhat 

 fan-shaped, narrow at the bottom and wide at the top; to these 

 sticks the canes may be tied. It will be found that the fruitful- 

 ness of the plant will be much increased if the canes are trained in 

 a horizontal position. This form of trellis is neat as well as cheap, 

 having this advantage over large wire ones: they are easily removed 

 when the fruiting season is over, and may be stored away until 

 next wanted for use. If they are painted with coal tar, they will 

 last many years. By very close pruning of some varieties, we may 

 dispense with stakes, or any support whatever; still, we are inclined 

 to think it will pay to give support, as, in case of a storm, more 

 fruit will be lost than will pay for the stakes twice over. 



Pruning. — The raspberry requires less pruning than the black- 

 berry, and it may be performed at any period of the winter or 

 spring, when the canes are not frozen. All the old and decayed 

 wood is first removed, if not previously done during the summer. 

 The canes are then shortened back three or four feet, according to 

 the length of the canes and the strength of their growth. Four 

 canes are usually left to a hill; still, five or six will not be too 

 many for some varieties. When pruning, all superfluous or weak 

 canes should be removed; these may be saved to be planted out, 

 to fill up new plantations, or carted to the compost heap to decom- 

 pose and be fitted to use as manure at some future time. As the 



