NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



233 



THE RASPBERRY. 



The cultivation of the raspberry, in this country, 

 is comparatively a new thing, and the subject re- 

 ceives but little attention ; yet it is -well worthy the 

 regard of all who raise their own fruit, or raise for 

 the market, in the vicinity of cities and towns. The 

 raspberry will flourish on any good tillage in good 

 condition for common farm crops. But the best soil 

 is a deep sandy or gravelly loam, tolerably moist. 



The stools or hills may be set about four feet apart 

 each way ; or, for convenience in culture, make the 

 rows five feet apart, and the hills three feet in the 

 ro'rt's. When the crop is off, the old canes or stalks 

 should be cut away, and the new ones trained up 

 to take their place. Then apply manure, and stir 

 the soil thoroughly. This is a better preparation for 

 a crop next year, than to let the old canes stand, 

 and defer manuring till the next spring, as the now 

 canes, on which will be the next crop, will bo feeble 

 for want of room and culture. It is a great mistake 

 to defer manuring plants until it is almost time to 

 look for the fruit. The manure should be applied 

 in season to give a stout growth, preparatory to a 

 large crop. The farmer would fail of a crop of corn, 

 should he neglect to manure till the stalks are nearly 

 gro.wn, and then look for largo cars on small plants. 



Among the most valuable kinds of raspberries are 

 the Franconia and FastolfT, represented above. They 

 are both large and of excellent quality. The fruit of 

 the Franconia is the firmer, and bears transportation 

 well ; therefore it is preferable for the market. Fas- 

 tolff is very tender, and some prefer the fruit on this 

 account. As they ripen at different periods, — Fas- 

 tolif, July 15 to 30 ; Franconia, July 25 to August 

 10, — they are, in this respect, well adapted for cul- 

 ture on the same lot, forming a succession. 



These and other similar kinds, such as the Red 

 and White Antwerp, &c., need to have the canes 

 bent down, and covered a few inches in earth, in 

 fall, to save them from our severe winters. They 

 are foreign varieties, and rather tender. 



The American Black, or Black Thimbleberry, 

 grows spontaneously in most parts of New England. 

 It is vigorous, productive, and so hardy that it needs 

 no protection ; and it is easily cultivated by keeping 

 the soil rich and loose, and cutting out the old 

 canes, after the crop is off. It will flourish on any 



soil. As it is hardy, it may be cultivated with much 

 less attention than the other kinds. The fruit is 

 very good, but not equal to the red varieties, and, of 

 course, it does not sell so well in the market. 



The American White is IDte the Black in its hab- 

 its. The fruit is not of so high a flavor, but it is 

 sweet ; and many children, and others who like sweet, 

 luscious fruit, would prefer it. In its growth, it is 

 more luxuriant than the Black. 



Raspberries are excellent and wholesome fruit, 

 coming in during the heat of summer, soon after the 

 strawberry, when such light, cool, refreshing fruits 

 are highly acceptable. They are usually very sala- 

 ble, and with good luck, — which is often synonymous 

 with good management, — they are very profitable. 

 We have seen an acre, with the stools four feet apart 

 each way, that produced over a quart to the hill, 

 which is more than half a bushel to the rod, or eighty 

 bushels to the acre. But this is a great crop. The 

 usual price of raspberries in the Boston market is 

 from twenty to thirty-seven and a half cents per 

 quart, at retail. 



AGRICULTURE. 



Agriculture has been aptly styled the master sinew 

 of every great state — the perennial fountain of 

 wealth. Rural labors are equally conducive to 

 health of body and mind. The mechanic operations 

 hold only a secondary rank ; the culture of the fields 

 constitute the most natural and innocent employment 

 of man. Agriculture clothes our land with grass for 

 cattle and with the herb for man. She fills our houses 

 with plenty, our hearts with gladness, and puts into 

 our hands the staff of life. The ancient republics 

 afford us several instances of generals and statesmen 

 having exchanged their boisterous employments in 

 war and politics for the more peaceful arts of the 

 field and the cultivation of the ground ; thus adding 

 to the culture of philosophy that of rural economy, 

 and rendering themselves doubly serviceable to their 

 country. 



Preservation of Lambs from Vermin. — An oint- 

 ment made of gunpowder, brimstone, and common 

 grease, applied behind the necks of the lambs, will 

 infallibly preserve them from all kinds of vermin. 

 The quantity requisite is so small, that a sixpenny 

 worth is sufficient to dress two hundred lambs. — 

 French Paper. 



