RUBUS. 



ing to a great extent, and fixing itfelf here and there, as it 

 runs, by tibrous roots. Leaves feveral from each part where 

 the roots are produced, forming a tuft, accompanied by a 

 folitary, long-italkcd, pale red Jloiuer, riling above the 

 leaves, and fucceeded by an ovate greenifh berry, compoled 

 of numerous grains, all together the fize of a currant, and 

 faid to be very agreeably flavoured. The calyx is reflexed 

 when in fruit, its fegments oblong, acute, with many deep 

 notches. Petals roundifli, obtufe. 



Rubus, in Gardening, contains plants of the under- 

 flirubby and herbaceous perennial kind, of which the lpecies 

 cultivated 3re, the rafpberry (R. idoeus) ; the Virginian 

 rafpberry ( R. occidentals) ; the flowering rafpberry ( R. 

 odoratus) ; the common bramble (R. fruticofus) ; the 

 brillly bramble ( R. hifpidus) ; the dewberry bramble ( R. 

 ctefius) ; the dwarf crimfon bramble ( R. arfticus) ; and 

 the mountain bramble, or cloud-berry ( R. chamxmorus). 



In the lirll fpecies the varieties are, the red-fruited, the 

 white-fruited, the twice-bearing, of which the firft crop 

 ripens in July, and the fecond in October, thofe of the latter 

 feafon having feldom much flavour ; the fmooth rafpberry, 

 and the large Antwerp. But the forts moftly cultivated, ac- 

 cording to Mr. Forfyth, are, the early white, the double- 

 bearing white, the large common white, the large red, the 

 red Antwerp, the large white Antwerp, the fmooth cane 

 double-bearing, and the Woodward's new rafpberry. 



In the fourth fort there are feveral varieties ; but that 

 which is chiefly introduced as a garden fhrub, is the double- 

 flowered bramble. 



Method of Culture. — In the firft fort and varieties of thefe 

 plants it may be effected by fuckers and layers. The plants 

 (hould always have a portion of ground to themfelves, being 

 planted at the diflance of about fix feet from row to row, 

 and four in the rows, with the exception of the early white 

 fort, which may be fet out clofer. And according to Mr. 

 Forfyth, the ground (hould firft be well trenched over and 

 dunged ; then, making choice of the ftrongeft and fineil 

 plants that come out from the fides of the (tools, where they 

 have been (landing for fome years, or encouraging the 

 ftrongeft plants that come out betwixt the rows after digging, 

 which (hould be done annually, they may be planted out as 

 above. In digging the ground, it frequently happens that 

 the roots are cut with the fpade, which occafions a great 

 number of fmall plants to come up ; of thefe the ftrongeft 

 and fineft (hould be fele£ted, hoeing up all the fuperfluous 

 ones. But he prefers laying down fome of the ftrongeft out- 

 fide (hoots in the month of March ; as, by the following 

 autumn, they will make fine roots, and may be planted out 

 in a quarter, or piece of ground, where they are intended 

 to remain. Thefe will not be fo liable, he thinks, to throw 

 out fuckers as thofe which are produced from fuckers. The 

 frefh pieces of ground (hould always be planted in moift 

 weather, as the roots are very delicate, and liable to hurt, 

 when expofed to a dry air. If, however, they are planted 

 in dry weather, he advifes that care be taken to moiiten the 

 roots with water, and cover them well with wet litter, or 

 leaves, during the time in which they are planting out. In 

 performing the work, a trench (hould be opened with a 

 fpade, along the line where the fuckers or layers are to be 

 planted, tutting off all the fmall tibry roots with a knife, 

 leaving only the ftronger roots ; putting them into the 

 trench, and covering them with fome earth ; then watering 

 them well, and throwing the remainder of the earth over 

 them, letting them remain till you have finifhed planting the 

 piece ; then, where you firll began to plant, beginning to 

 tread the ground with the foot as hard as poflible along each 

 of the trenches, and in the fame direction as planted ; then 



with a fpade levelling all the ground fmooth, and running it 

 over with a rake, taking off any (tones and rubbifti that may 

 be left on the furface, fo as to render it perfeftly even. 

 The plants (hould be watered two or three times a week 

 when the feafon is dry, till they have taken root ; and it 

 will be neceffary to (lake the Antwerp, and other ftrong 

 growing forts, with (tout flakes, running a couple of fmaU 

 rails at top to tie the brandies to, which will prevent their 

 being broken by the wind, or beaten down by the rain. 

 The early white, and fmaller forts, maybe plaited together 

 at top, tying them round with the fmall yellow willow, 

 which will keep them together. Some of the early rafp. 

 berries may be planted between the trees on a weft afpedt, to 

 produce early fruit before thofe in the quarters come in. 

 The Antwerps thrive exceedingly well againft north walls 

 or palings, and produce late crops. Such as are planted 

 againlt walls or palings (hould be tacked to them, to keep 

 them in their places. 



And it is advifed that where any of the fmall red and 

 white forts are found, they (hould be deitroyed, planting 

 the large red, the fmooth cane double-bearing, the large red 

 and white Antwerps, the large common white, the double- 

 bearing white, and Woodward's new rafpberry in their (lead. 

 In relpeft to the cutting or pruning of thefe plants, fome, 

 Mr. Forfyth remarks, prefer pruning them in autumn, a 

 practice of which he by no means approves. As they 

 bear the fruit on the wood of the preceding year, they are, 

 he thinks, very liable to be killed by the froft in fevere 

 winters ; but, by deferring the pruning till the month of 

 February, there will be a great choice of fine wood for 

 bearing the following fummer, being careful to root out or 

 cut down all the wood that bore fruit the preceding year, 

 which generally dies, felctting only from five to feven of the 

 moft vigorous and ftrong (hoots from the lafl year's wood to 

 bear fruit the enfuing feafon. Thefe fhoot6 may be pruned 

 to the length of three or four feet, according to their 

 ftrength, when they are of the fmooth cane double-bearing 

 fort (which generally bears a fecond crop in autumn, ana 

 will, in fine feafons, continue bearing from June to No- 

 vember) ; but, if the large Antwerp, the (hoots (hould be 

 left five or fix feet long in thefe prunings. 



But in regard to the early white, which never grows fo 

 ftrong as the above forts, it fhould be (hortened to two feet 

 and a half, or three feet. Thefe (hould be planted in rows 

 about three feet diftant from each other, and two feet from 

 plant to plant in the rows ; always remembering to keep 

 them clear of fuckers, and to cut out the dead or Tail year's 

 wood, as above ; making choice of the ftrongeft fhoots for 

 bearing wood. Great care fhould, however, be taken not 

 to cut off the little fpurs on the fides, which bear the fruit 

 in this kind. Plants of this fort continue in bearing five or 

 fix years ; by which time a frefh plantation fhould be in 

 readinefs to lucceed them. The young plants often bear 

 fome fruit the firll year, and come into full bearing in 

 the fecond after planting. If they be fuflered to remain 

 more than five or fix years on the lame ground, they dege- 

 nerate, and bear fmall fruit. And much care fhould be 

 taken not to leave above eight or ten of the ftrongell fhoots, 

 rubbing off or pulling up all the fuperfluous ones ; and keep- 

 ing the ground well hoed and cleared of weeds between the 

 rowe, as well as in other places. 



Alfo in the other forts the increafe may be efiefted by 

 fuckers, layers, cuttings, and dividing the roots, and in the 

 two lad, or herbaceous kinds, by feed. The fuckers fhould 

 be taken up in autumn, winter, or fpring, with roots ; and 

 the ftrongeft be planted at once into the fhrubbery, and the 

 others in nurfery-rows for a year or two, or till wanted for 

 4 Q 2 planting. 



