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tem in cultivating; but if it is smooth or 
level so that it can be cultivated both 
ways, the check system is, to our mind, 
preferable. The row system consists of 
setting the plants in rows, from five to 
ten feet apart, and the plants from three 
to five feet apart in the row. The check 
system is one in which the plants are set 
five to seven feet apart each way. The 
distances apart should be determined 
largely by the nature of the plants. Some 
varieties tend to grow large and tall while 
others grow short and stocky. It is prac- 
ticable to put twice as many of the small 
varieties on a given area, as of the largest 
growers. Distances apart will also be de- 
termined in part by the character of the 
soil, A very rich soil will support more 
plants than a poor soil. When the nature 
and habits of the varieties are determined 
and when the character of the soil is con- 
sidered, then the question of distances will 
be determined, and the method of plant- 
ing will logically follow. Our preference 
is toward the check, or square system, if 
the land is suited to that style of planting. 
Our reasons are that, by that method, 
more fruit and better fruit can be pro- 
duced with a given amount of labor than 
by any other. By this method the land 
can be cultivated both ways and the work 
of hoeing largely eliminated. By this 
method also the sun shines more evenly 
upon all parts of the plant and tends to- 
ward a fuller and more uniform develop- 
ment of the fruit. 
If the row method is adopted, run a 
deep furrow where the plants are to be 
placed. If the square or check method is 
adopted, mark off the land both ways and 
run a deep furrow one way. Then prune 
the broken roots and cut back the top to 
about four to eight inches in height: they 
are then ready for setting. In setting the 
plants, care should be used to prevent the 
drying of the roots. Perhaps the best 
method is to place the roots in water, 
having one man to drop them and two to 
set them. The three working together 
make a team. This will set the plants 
with less labor than a smaller number 
working a longer period of time. Some 
recommend that the “dropper” carry the 
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL HORTICULTURE 
plants in a bucket of water This will do 
if only a small number are to be set, but 
if a large field is to be planted it is easier 
to have a broad water-tight box on a 
sled, in which the plants are placed, and 
drawn by a horse For the number of 
plants per acre, see our “Table of Dis- 
tances,” page 155 Set the plants from 
a half to one inch deeper than the 
grow in the nursery. 
Cultivation 
The cultivation blackberries should re- 
ceive depends mostly on the conditions 
under which they grow. If they grow 
where there is a lack of moisture, it will 
be necessary to keep the ground thor- 
oughly pulverized, so as to form a dust 
mulch and conserve the moisture Some- 
times it will be necessary also to mulch 
with straw, barnyard manure or leaves. 
In portions of the country where irriga- 
tion is practiced and where there is 
plenty of moisture, the land should be 
cultivated after each and every irriga- 
tion, which would probably be about every 
20 to 380 days. In any event, the weeds 
and the suckers must be kept down and 
the land kept well pulverized, so that by 
the process of aeration, the roots are 
properly supplied with food. 
Training and Staking 
Upon this subject we quote here from 
W. S. Thornber, formerly professor of 
horticulture at Pullman, Wash 
“The ‘Upright Growers’ where planted 
in hills can best be staked by a single 
strong stake from four to six feet in 
height and the canes loosely but securely 
fastened to the stake Some growers pre- 
fer to set two stakes about 15 inches apart 
at each hill of blackberries with the idea 
of training the fruiting canes on one and 
the growing canes on the other. Where 
the ‘Upright Growers’ are planted in a 
continuous row they may be trained to 
and supported by a two-wire trellis con- 
sisting of a single row of posts four to 
five feet high with a single No. 10 wire 
stapled to the top and another from 18 
to 24 inches from the top. The more com- 
mon method however, is to set a single 
line of posts four or five feet high in the 
row, nail an 18-inch cross-arm three feet 
