72 BUSH-FRUITS 



ing a mass of small and poorly -developed laterals, 

 many of which are winter -killed. It is much better 

 after pinching the main cane to let them alone until the 

 following spring, when they should be cut back to 

 twelve to eighteen inches in length. 



Now and then a grower is heard from who depre- 

 cates all pruning as contrary to nature, and, therefore, 

 argues that plants should be allowed to grow entirely at 

 their own sweet will. One recent writer in this line 

 brings forth, in proof of his argument, the statement 

 that he never takes less than ten crops of fruit from 

 a plantation, and even then the canes are stronger than 

 those of many five -year -old plantations he has seen. 

 This is, no doubt, perfectly true, for a little later he 

 states that he would be satisfied with a yield much 

 below that given as the average estimate of a large 

 number of growers. A machine which does only half 

 work ought to last longer, and so with a raspberry 

 plant. But why continue to care for a plantation 

 year after year by a system of culture which returns 

 a yield much below that easily obtained, simply be- 

 cause the plants last longer thereby? Why not rather 

 force the plants to do their best, and when they fail 

 let them go, thereby securing better fruits, better 

 yields, and consequently better profits? 



Not more than five young canes to the hill should 

 be left to develop, and three is probably even better. 

 Indeed, were it not for the liability of accidents to a 

 single cane, it is quite possible that we might just as 

 well get all our fruit from one, if given the whole 

 strength of the root throughout the season. Samuel 



