254 BUSH FRUITS IN THE HOME GARDEN 



As the red raspberries (strigosus group) propagate readily by 

 underground stolons or suckers, the solid-row method is best 

 adapted to that type. 



A good time for planting is in very early spring. Set the plants a 

 little deeper than they were in the nursery soil and firm the dirt 

 about the roots well. 



Inter-crops such as cabbage, cauliflower, beans, peas, and other 

 garden crops may be grown between the rows the first year. Al- 

 low room for thorough cultivation between these crops and the 

 berries. Clean culture should be given not only the first year but 

 every year. 



Pruning. — The oldest canes should be kept cut out, and each 

 summer the long canes should be cut back and caused to branch. 

 This will induce more fruit clusters to form. The cutting out of 

 old canes at the base may be done either just after the picking 

 season is over or in the winter time. (Figs. 181 and 182). 



Training. — Red raspberries are often so tall and slender that 

 they require supports of some kind. If they are planted in the 

 hill system, a single stake may be used to support each plant 

 Fig. 183). If the bushes are grown in a solid row, a trellis may 

 be made by stretching wires on posts (Fig. 184). The older canes 

 are tied to this wire to keep them up when bearing their fruit. 

 Two wires may be used, one above the other, with better results. 

 Cross pieces are sometimes nailed on the posts and two wires at the 

 same height are stapled to the same pieces. The canes are kept 

 between these two wires and tied to one or the other. 



A more common plan is to keep the canes so well cut back that no 

 trellis is necessary. 



Winter Protection. — Varieties are sometimes grown in the 

 northern or western states which require special protection during 

 the winter season. One plan is to throw a deep furrow of soil over 

 from the plants on one side. Then the canes are bent down into 

 the furrow and covered about two inches deep. In the spring 

 they may be left covered long enough to prevent any danger from 

 late spring frosts killing the blossoms. They are then uncovered 

 and brought back to their original positions. 



Harvesting Berries. — Care must be exercised in picking and 

 handling the crop. If mashed at picking time they will not stand 

 up well in the market and are soon wet with juice. The black 

 cap varieties should be picked as soon as they show the least 

 purple tinge and they will complete their ripening after picking, 



