76 BLACKBERRIES 
the admixture of dry sand, rubbing the whole mass 
round in a fine sieve. Sowing may take place in autumn 
or spring, preferably the autumn, in the open, but pro- 
tected from birds. ‘Transplant as necessary, and by the 
third year the seedlings should show whether they are 
worth retaining or not. 
Root cuttings, removal of suckers, and growth cut- 
tings may all be utilised for the increase of black- 
_ berries, if necessary; but, undoubtedly, the quickest 
and easiest method of raising strong plants is by layer- 
ing canes in the early autumn, pegging them firmly in 
the soil. So soon will roots be formed that, in a few 
weeks’ time, a severance may be effected, and the 
youngsters planted in their fruiting quarters. It is a 
good plan to prepare the canes for layering, by pinch- 
ing out the growing point at a yard high, and layering 
the side shoots subsequently made. 
As with the majority of fruits, so with the bramble, 
autumn is by far the best time for planting, and there is 
no better: month than October. The sites should be 
large enough to admit of the roots being carefully 
spread out; but, if the soil has been well prepared, 
there is no need to make deep stations. Plant firmly, 
so that when the ground settles the plants will not be 
deeper than before transplanting. During the opera- 
tion avoid all unnecessary exposure of the roots, and, if 
the season be at all dry, give a thorough watering im- 
mediately after planting, following this with a mulching 
of half-decayed stable manure. | 
The distance to allow between each plant depends 
upon the variety and the method of training, but, as a 
general rule, four feet between the plants and six feet 
between the rows will suffice. More room must be given 
if large bushes are the end in view; but the general 
practice is to treat blackberries very much as rasp- 
berries, training them to low trellises. © 
