262 BUSH FRUITS IN THE HOME GARDEN 



Winter Protection. — In cold climates winter killing may be 

 prevented by laying down the canes in a furrow along one side of 

 the row. Cover them with a light layer of soil or mulch of straw. 

 Some varieties cannot be bent down very easily. In such cases the 

 roots on one side must be loosened by digging. Very tender varie- 

 ties are more heavily covered than others. 



In the spring the plants are raised when the buds begin to burst. 

 The cover may be kept on long enough to hold back the blossom 

 season late enough to prevent damage from spring frosts. 



Picking and Marketing the Crop. — Many varieties of black- 

 berries change to the ripe color before they are mature. For home 

 use they should not be picked too soon. For market they may be 

 picked much earlier than for home use. The quality may not be 

 quite so good but the handling will be much better. Picking is 

 usually done in berry baskets holding one quart. Several of these 

 baskets may be carried in a flat holder with a rigid handle, hanging 

 on the belt or on the left arm. Pickers frequently wear gloves 

 with the tips of the fingers cut away. This makes them less timid 

 in getting berries that are somewhat protected. 



Uses. — Blackberries are used for eating fresh with cream and 

 sugar, or they may be stewed for immediate use. The surplus 

 crop may be kept for winter use by preserving, canning, or drying. 



The profits from the small patch are encouraging. If the surplus 

 is sold, it usually brings a good price even in small markets. The 

 crop is sometimes shipped long distances if necessary. 



Enemies of the Blackberry. — There are very few enemies of the 

 blackberry. The pithy gall-maker sometimes attacks the canes and 

 may be controlled by cutting away the affected parts and burning 

 them. The worst disease of the blackberry is bramble rust. The 

 leaves are often badly affected and it may be considered a serious 

 disease. The annual pruning which has been described is very 

 effective providing all the canes are mowed down and burned just 

 after the picking is over. This will usually keep the rust under 

 control reasonably well. 



Permanency of the Plantation. — Blackberry roots become too 

 long and tend to spread badly. They should be kept within bounds 

 and a wide strip for cultivation must be maintained. It may be 

 necessary to turn the soil by plowing deep furrows near the plants 

 and thus destroying the side suckers. The plants may also become 

 too dense in the row so that they are virtually root-bound. In this 

 case thinning out is necessary for success. This may be done by 



