80 FIOTOniAL PRAOTIGAL FRUIT GIIOWING. 



CDaptcr XH-— Blackberries* 



The popularity of tlie fruit of the wild Blackberry is an earnest of tiie 

 favour which the best cultivated varieties would enjoy if we were able lo 

 produce them with the ease and certainty of Raspberries and Currants. 

 Unfortunately, this is not the case. For every instance of success we hear 

 of half a dozen failures, and many people have abandoned Blackberry 

 culture as a thing too full of disappointment for weak human flesh to tolerate. 



Granting that the garden Blackbeiry is a somewhat capricious fruit, 

 there is no evidence to prove that it is beyond the powers of the average 

 fruit grower. I was not in evidence when the first Briton began to culti- 

 vate Easpberries, but I dare wager that he made a hash of it. He probably 

 emerged extra early from his cave one fine morning, hitched up his skins, 

 and, with a Prehistoric Patent Combination War Club and Spade, dug some 

 suckers out of the woods. These he planted in his kitchen garden, and left 

 unshortened. A little frait was borne on the stronger canes, but afterwards 

 the stools dwindled. Then the Briton whirled his patent combination 

 implement in a rage, and went and killed the garden-loving savage who had 

 told him that Raspberries were worth growing. If he had decapitated the 

 Raspberries instead of his neighbour he would have done better. His 

 descendants found that out in time, but there are still people about who do 

 not know it, and they are only pre\ anted from attacking wise advisers by a 

 grandmotherly law. 



Now, if we have not mastered all the points in Raspberry culture yet, it 

 is not surprising that Blackberries are badly treated, for as a cultivated 

 fruit the latter is in the babeling stage. Like onr impatient ancestor, we 

 want to plant canes and gather heavy crops of fruit before the plants have 

 had a chance of establishing themselves. Having seen failure turned into 

 success by change of culture, I refuse to believe that Blackberries are 

 intractable ; and so delicious, so piquant, so refreshing is the fruit, that I 



Blackberry References (see page si). 



A, planting : a, one year old plunts, indicating proper depth, wilh roots spread out evenly ; b, th« 



sameplaiitscutdoum in early sjiring, leavina only two iiuds abnve the gro^iud. 



B, training to wire trellis, jdnnts in rows 5 feet apart and 3 feet asunder in the row : c, pla^it 



with two canes as a result of cutting down to two huds in Ike prevlrms resting season ; d, 

 plant that has formed two vigorous canes, and a " ealxr one from the base ; e, plant tliat has 

 formed one cane without laterals and one with—ilie side shoots have been pinched at about 9 

 inches from the main stem. The cross lines indicate the points of winter pruning, 



C, training to a stake : f, plant in second winter after planting ; g, canes allowed to grow loosely 



during tlie previous summer, and all suckers iMji ojf ; h, stake ; i, points of shortening canes ; 

 .7, a similar plant tioo years vld, with caiies shortened a}id secured to the stake with tarred 

 string. 



D, pruning Blackberry after bearing : k, old canes which have borne fruit during the last seison 



cut out — they are shown detached at the base ; I, s^iccessionat canes for bearing fruit in the 

 coining season, shortened, as shown where detached, and secured to tlie trellis. 



E, pruning a Blackberry trained on a stake : m, old canes cut out, as shoivn detached near '>a-*e ; 



n, successional cones shortened to firm wood and secured to stake separately ; o, weakly 

 growths which have sprung from tile rootstock shorteneil to one bud from the ground- these 

 usually produce strong cane^ in the following summer, and are more desirable for reserving to 

 bear fruit in succession the following sectson than are those which spring from the base 0/ 

 current bearing cajits. 



