194 FRUIT. 



branches freely thinned out, and young wood laid in at six or 

 eight inches apart, as the best fruit is obtained from well- 

 ripened young wood. The fruit should be well thinned as soon 

 as it can be done with safety ; neglect of which deteriorates 

 the crop and spoils the prospects of another season. Liberal 

 supplies of liquid manure and a sprinkling of some of the 

 best fertilisers should be given in dry weather when the fruit 

 is swelling, so that it may obtain a large size ; and afterwards 

 mulch the ground to preserve the roots, which run near the 

 surface, and are Kable to be injured in dry hot weather. All 

 young wood not required to form the tree should be pinched 

 at the third leaf, and the shoots wanted to fill the space care- 

 fully trained to the wall. When the fi'uit is ripening it should 

 be fuUy exposed to the sun, so that its best qualities may be 

 brought to perfection. 



The points of merit in dessert plums are: (1.) Size; (2.) 

 flavour ; and (3.) colour. The same points of merit apply to 

 the culinary varieties, although flavour is not of so much 

 importance as size, thick flesh, and a small stone. 



THE EASPBEKRY. 



The Raspberry belongs to the genus Ruhus, and is a native 

 of the temperate regions of Europe and Asia. It is very dis- 

 tinct in its habit, fruit, and the duration of its wood. The 

 best of the red varieties are Antwerp, Baumforth's Seedling, 

 Carter's Prolific, Fastolf, Northumberland Fillbasket, and 

 Superlative ; and of the yellow, Antwerp and Magnum Bonum. 

 The Raspberry grows freely in the same soil as the Gooseberry, 

 and enjoys a slight shade from the sun during the hottest part 

 of the day. A position three feet from the north side of a 

 not too high wall suits it well. The ground should be deeply 

 trenched and well manured, and the canes planted three feet 

 apart, placing three together, and afterwards cutting them 

 down to one foot from the ground. By encouraging the 

 growth of strong well-ripened canes, the plants should be 

 established and able to bear good exhibition fruit the third 

 year after planting. The old canes should be cut out in 



