236 



THE GARDENER'S ASSISTANT. 



on the V trellis system, and they will produce 

 heavy crops of large, good-quality fruit. Thus 

 trained, the canes and leaves are well exposed 



to sunshine, and more and better fruit is got 

 in consequence. 



On large fruit farms, where the labour and 



/ -A;fi, i -./"^ 



cost of stakes and tying have to be con- 

 sidered, it is advisable to select one of the 

 dwarf, sturdy, self-supporting varieties, 

 such as Carter's Prolific, which is in every 

 way adapted for field cultivation. The 

 canes are cut back to various lengths up to 

 3 feet. 



Forcing. — The Raspberry is seldom con- 

 sidered worth the necessary trouble and 

 expense of forcing, but plants in pots may 

 be brought on in the orchard-house along 

 with the Gooseberry and Currant, or they 

 may be planted along the front of a pit, 

 and trained to a trellis under the glass. 

 They bear very well in pots, which can be 

 removed to the open air when the crop is 

 gathered. For this purpose plants should 

 be taken up in autumn, and potted in 

 12-inch pots. All buds on the roots likely 

 to produce suckers ought to be picked off. 

 The soil should be a mixture of turfy loam, 

 peat or leaf-mould, and sand. The canes 

 may be shortened to 3 or 4 feet in length. 

 The pots should be placed where they can 

 be protected from frost and snow till they 

 can be introduced into the house. If this 

 be done in January, ripe fruit may be obtained 

 in the beginning of April. Or if introduced 

 into gentle heat in February, with a little assis- 

 tance in dull or severe weather, well-flavoured 

 fruit may be obtained in May. The plants 

 should be duly attended to with water, of 



Fig 1033.— Raspberry— Belle de Fontenay. 



which they will require a good deal when in 

 full growth, and until the fruit begins to colour. 

 Suckers must be removed as soon as they make 

 their appearance. 



Plants established in the pots in the course 

 of the summer will stand forcing better than 



