1502 



RASPBERRY 



coiKlitions would not warrant the growinsr of fruit to be 

 soM fresh. Hybrids of it', striuosii^ and Ii. vcc'nlen- 

 tuUs-known as i?. nef/fectns-h&ve given the purple- 

 cane class, of which Shaffer (Fig. 2082) is a leading 

 example. For further notes on species of Raspberry, 

 see Rubas. 



Raspberries are extensively grown in the northeastern 

 states. They thrive best in deep, moist soil. The lighter 

 loams are preferable for reds and the heavier loams for 

 blacks. The prime essential is that the land shall be 

 able to withstand drought well; but it uuist not be over- 

 wet. Much may be done to improve the drought-resist- 

 ing quality of soils. If the subsoil is hard and impervi- 

 ous it may be improved by undordraining or sul)Soiling. 

 This wilTprovide a dci-per res(M-voir for tlie storage of 

 moisture. Still more important is the proportion of 

 vetretable matter. A soil rii-h in hunuis a-lniits water 

 more reailily and in larger (luantities, retains it longer 



2081. Box of Cuthbert Raspberries (X 



and therefore resists drought better than one that is de- 

 ticient in humus. Huuixis may be increased by the ap- 

 plication of stable manure and by plowing under green 

 crops, but the process must be gradual. Undecayed 

 vegetable matter is not Immus, and its addition in 

 large (piantities ma_y augment the difficulty which the 

 increase in humus is designed to correct. Thorough 

 soil preparation must therefore begin several years pre- 

 vious to planting, if the land lias been improperly 

 handled theretofore. Other important offices of humus 

 are the holding of nitrogen to prevent its loss, and tlie 

 unlocking of mineral elements from the soil. The well- 

 known fact that bramliles thrive so well in virgin soil, 

 is, no doubt, largely due to the abundance of humus 

 which .such soil contains. 



Stable manure is p'-rmissible as a fertilizer, except 

 for red Raspberries when Knowing on moist, rich soil, in 

 which case it forces growth t'.io much. Leguminous 

 crops may furnish all the nitrogen needed. Floats, 

 ground bone or basic slag will supply phosphoric acid, 

 and potash may l>e obtained from wood ashes or muriate 

 of potash. Upon the soil of tin- Rhode Island Experi- 

 nu-nt Station, which is a lii^dil sandy loam with gravelly 

 subsoil, the addition of nitro^^cn dors not increase the 

 yield, although tlie soil is not naturally fertile and ni- 

 trogen lias been applied annually for a series of years. 

 Other crops have been ujion the land until recently. 

 Even plots from which mineral elements have also Iieen 

 omitted do n'»t fall far behind those which liave bi'cn 

 liberallv dressed with the tlirei' essential fertilizing ele- 



RASPBERRY 



ments for a series of years, judging from the first crop 

 only. No one can tell the grower how to fertilize his 

 plants; the question must be settled upon his ovra farm. 

 Cover-crops have not been extensively^ used, but are 

 likely to receive more attention. Where crimson clover 

 will thrive it is well adapted to the purpose, although 

 somewhat difficult to uproot in spring. 



Planting may be done in fall or spring, but spring is 

 to be preferred for black-caps. Plants secured from 

 young plantations are preferable, since they possess 

 greater vigor and are less likely to carry disease. The 

 individuality of the parent-plant, while generally dis- 

 regarded, may be a determining factor in the profitable- 

 ness of the offspring. Black-cap plants are obtained by 

 burying the tips of the growing canes, late in summer, 

 when they begin to thicken and throw out roots. When 

 thoroughly rooted, the layer is severed and the "tip" 

 (Fig. 2(1H3) is used for planting. Reds throw up numer- 

 ous suckers from the roots and these are oftenest used 

 in planting, though root-cuttings are available. For 

 near-by plautini;- the young suckers, moved in early 

 summer, may be used. Plants are preferalily set in 

 check-rows, six or seven feet apart, with plants four to 

 six feet apart in the row. Cross-cultivation in early 

 spring and after fruiting will materially aiil in keeping 

 a plantation in good condition. Without it the reds 

 quickly form thick hedge-rows. With intensive methods 

 hoed crops ma_y be grown between the rows the year of 

 planting; with common farm methods they are lietter 

 omitted. 



Thorr)ugh tillage should be given till midsummer, 

 when a cover-crop should be sown. In especially dry 

 climates, as upon the Plains, tillage should 

 be continued throughout the season. Plow- 

 ing between the rows in spring is undesir- 

 able and is unnecessary if tillage has been 

 good tlie previous year. With reds some 

 form of cultivator with square-pointed teeth 

 or cutting-blades is advantageous in de- 

 stroying suckers. 



Tender varieties may be protected in win- 

 ter by laying them down and covering them 

 with earth. To do this loosen the soil at 

 one side of the root and bend the plant in 

 that diri^ction. The plants are usually bent 

 in the direction of the row so that the tops 

 will lap over the crowns. 



The young shoots of black-caps should lie 

 niiiped off as soon as they reach a height of eighteen to 

 twenty-four inches, that a well-iiranched self-supporting 

 bush may be obtained. In spring following, the branches 

 should be shortened to one to two feet. This spring 

 pruning is the fruit-thinning process of the year and 

 should be done with judgment. The poorer the soil or 

 the less able it is to withstand drought, and the less 

 intensive the culture, the more severe should the prun- 

 ing be. Anthracnose may give less trouble, and the 

 plantation will last longer, without summer pinching, 

 but the yield will be much lower. With reds summer 

 pinching is undesirable after the year of planting, 

 unless with exceptionally vigorous varieties on stronir 

 soil. The older canes are best remove<l as soon as fj-uit- 

 ing is over. They are more easily cut then and their 

 removal gives a good opportunity for cross-cultivation 

 (in case the check-row system is used) and a thorough 

 cleaning-Tip before the season's tillage is abandoned. 

 Earl}" removal may also help to check the spread of 

 certain enemies. Plantations may be kept in bearing 

 many years if desired, but it is seldom profitable to 

 do so. 



The fruit demands care in picking and in handling 

 tliereafter. It should never l")e picked when wet. Red 

 raspberries are especially difficult to ship and are 

 usually marketed in pint baskets rather than quarts. 

 Reds yield less than blacks and usually sell at a liigher 

 price. 



Enemies are numerous, (.'rown- and cane-borers must 

 be coid-.rolled by cutting out and destroying the infested 

 canes. Red rust sometimes sweeps away plantations of 

 black-caps. A ]iia.nt once attacked can never be cured 

 and should be rooted out and burned at once. Anthrac- 

 nose is especially troublesome. Only plants free from 

 it should be set, and the plantation should be aban- 



