3. Bush Fruits. 



In Bush Fruits are included the Blackberry, Currant, Gooseberry, and 

 Raspberry. These fruits, while not being of quite so much importance from a 

 commercial standpoint as the tree fruits, are grown and consumed in very 

 large quantities in Ontario, and as they are used in many ways by house- 

 keepers there will always be a demand for them. They can be grown between 

 the tree fruits to advantage while the latter are young and hence often aug- 

 ment the revenue of the fruit grower materially' before the tree fruits come into 

 full bearing. 



Some idea of the large quantities of bush fruits which are grown will be 

 obtained from the Dominion census statistics for 1901, where it is stated that 

 there were at that time 8,116 acres devoted to small fruits in Ontario, on which 

 were produced about 16,000,000 quarts valued at $811,000.00. The strawberry 

 is included in the above estimate. The present area devoted to small fruits 

 is estimated at 10,000 acres. 



THE BLACKBERRY. 



The blackberr}' is not grown so largel}' in Ontario as it might be. It is 

 one of the most profitable fruits to grow where it succeeds well, but as the 

 crop is rather uncertain except in southern Ontario and in localities farther 

 north where it is protected by a deep snow fall, its range of successful culture 

 is somewhat limited. ^^'here there is not danger of winter killing, a well 

 drained clay loam is probably the best for the blackberry, as it is cooler and 

 more retentive of moisture than lighter soils. The blackberry must have plenty 

 of soil moisture when the fruit is ripening, otherwise but little of the crop will 

 develop. Further north, where hardiness is of greater consideration than con- 

 servation of moisture, the poorer and warmer soils are preferred, as the black- 

 berry on these soils does not make as rampant a growth and hence ripens its 

 wood better. 



The blackberry may be planted in late fall or early in the spring. If 

 planted too early in the tall young growth may start which is likely to be 

 winter killed. The soil should be well prepared and the plants set a little 

 deeper than they were in the nursery, in rows about eight feet apart and three 

 feet apart in the rows. Some growers prefer planting them in hills seven or 

 eight feet apart each way, thus finding them easier to control. Larger fruit is 

 so produced as they can be kept cultivated both ways. Summer pruning is 

 important with the blackberry, as the lower the canes , can be kept the better 

 they are likely to come through the winter, and the easier they are to handle. 

 Summer pruning consists in merely pinching back the young growth to within 

 about eighteen inches of the ground, after which side shoots will be thrown 

 out. It is better to err on the side of low pinching than to let the canes get 

 too tall. This summer pruning may, if delayed, cause late growth which will 

 not ripen ; hence it should be done in time or not at all. In the spring the 

 laterals should be headed back to within eighteen inches or two feet of the 

 main canes. Old canes and the weakest of the new ones should be cut out in the 

 fall or early in the spring each year. There will be a light crop of fruit the second 

 year and a full crop the third year. Four or fnc full crops are about as much 

 as should be taken from one plantation. 



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