210 HORTICULTURE FOR SCHOOLS 



population and the destruction of the wild patches to make 

 room for farms, the cultivated blackberry came into promi- 

 nence. These are as good in flavor and are superior in size 

 to the wild berries. Of the cultivated forms there are many 

 varieties. 



309. Requirements of the blackberry. The blackberry 

 succeeds in nearly all sections of North America except the 

 very coldest. Even there it can be grown if given proper 

 winter protection. In hot dry regions the fruit will be small 

 in size and scant in quantity, but may be improved greatly 

 by irrigation. The blackberry thrives in heavy well-drained 

 land, but will succeed in many types of soils if not too wet. 

 While blackberries prefer rich soils, and while the proper 

 addition of manure or other fertilizers increases the yield, 

 too much fertilizing or too rich land make the growth of the 

 vines undesirably rank. 



310. Propagation. Blackberries may be propagated by 

 means of suckers or by root-cuttings according to methods 

 described in the chapters on propagation. 1 



311. Planting and training. Blackberries should be given 

 plenty of room. They are usually planted from five to seven 

 feet apart, in rows from six to twelve feet distant, according 

 to the variety and system of training. The young vines 

 should have the terminal shoots pinched back in the spring 

 as soon as the plants reach a height of two or four feet. This 

 causes stronger growth and greater stockiness. When the 

 laterals reach a length of eighteen or twenty-four inches, they 

 are pinched back. As the fruit is borne on the previous 

 season's growth, all the old canes should be cut out after 

 fruiting, leaving from three to six canes of the present season 

 to bear fruit the following year. Blackberry vines may be 

 grown without support, may be staked, or grown on a trellis, 

 depending on the preference of the grower, the locality, and 



' Chapters IV and V. 



