142 



SMALL FRUIT CULTURIST. 



In the great Raspberry plantations of 'New York, stakes 

 are used, and every fruiting cane is tied up^ early in spring. 

 The stakes used are four or live feet long, one being driven 

 near each stool, and the canes tied loosely to it. After the 

 crop has been gathered, the stakes are all taken up and 

 put away under cover until wanted the next season. The 

 old canes are all removed in the fill, and all suckers not 

 wanted for fruiting ai"e taken up, preparatory to giving 

 winter protection to those that remain. 



W^INTER PROTECTION. 



Until Avithin a very few years, the varieties principally 

 cultivated for market were those of foreign origin. Oq,- 

 casionally one would be introduced that was quite hardy 



Fig. 59. — LAYING DOWN THE CANES. 



even in the Northern States, but as a whole they required 

 j^rotection to insure a full croj). Many different methods 

 for protecting the plants in winter have been suggested 

 and tried, but there is probably none so simjDle or cheap 

 as that of laying down the i^lants and covering with soil. 

 To perform this operation rapidly^ it requires two men, one 

 to bend down the plants while the other throws a shovel 

 full of soil upon them, or just enough to keep them in 

 l^lace. The canes should be bent down lengthwise of the 

 row, as shown in figure 59. When the j^lants have all 

 been laid down, a plow is jDassed along on each side of the 

 row, turning the soil upon tliem. In this manner an acre 



