GROWING ASPARAGUS 



Asparagus grows best on light, loamy soil but is 

 successful on practically any good garden soil. 

 Before planting the soil should be worked well and 

 furrows run out 6 to 10 inches deep, four to five 

 feet apart. Roots should be set 12 to 18 inches 

 apart down the furrows with roots well spread out. 

 The crowns are covered firmly with three inches 

 of soil when set and when cultivating the soil is 

 gradually worked into the remaining furrow over 

 a period of about 60 days or until level. Do not 



fill furrow too fast to prevent smothering. 



Cultivation should be thorough and at intervals 

 frequent enough to keep down weeds, and conserve 

 moisture. Shoots may be cut for two or three 

 weeks the year following planting and thereafter 

 as long as desirable and then let tops grow. 

 Right after cutting season the field should be 

 given a heavy application of stable manure or 

 commercial fertilizer high in nitrogen, at the rate 

 of 10 to 25 pounds per 100 feet of row. 



GROWING BLACKBERRIES, BOYSENBERRIES 



Culture is very similar to Raspberries. Cut 

 back the plants when set, leaving 3 inches and not 

 more than 6 inches of cane. Set plants same 

 distance as Raspberries. Dig holes large enough 

 to spread roots well and just deep enough to leave 

 the crown or new growth about one inch under the 

 soil. Pack soil firm, but not too hard, over the 



bud so it can start growth without interference. 

 Water well if ground is dry. Bush fruits do not 

 need plant food the first year after planting. Well 

 rotted stable manure makes a good mulch in late 

 fall before the ground freezes. FULL PRUNING. 

 MULCHING AND OTHER INFORMATION IN- 

 CLUDED WITH YOUR ORDER. 



GROWING GRAPES 



Plant in a well drained location six to eight feet 

 apart. If set in rows the rows should be about 

 8 feet apart. Before setting, vines should be 

 pruned back so that only a few inches of stalk 

 remain with two or three buds. Roots may also 

 be trimmed to an 8 to 10 inch length. Be sure to 

 dig holes large enough to spread roots well and 

 set slightly deeper than roots grew in nursery 

 (this is indicated by a definite soil mark). 



Stable manure is an excellent fertilizer. Nitrate 

 of Soda at rate of 4 to 8 ozs. per bush is also 

 widely used. 



Grapes may be trained along a garden fence or 



a regular arbor may be constructed to suit the 

 desired arrangement in the garden. A simple 

 method is to follow the practice of the commercial 

 growers and settle posts from which three wires 

 are strung with the lower wire supporting the 

 vines as they grow from the main trunk and the 

 middle and top wires to support the vine growth. 

 This simple arrangement makes easy pruning as 

 all that is necessary is to prune back to the main 

 trunk branches along the lower wire in February 

 or March before signs of new growth. FULL 

 PRUNING AND GENERAL CULTURAL DIREC- 

 TIONS WILL BE SENT WITH YOUR ORDER 



GROWING RASPBERRIES 



Select any well drained soil, preferably sandy 

 loam or light clay or soil that will produce such 

 crops as corn or potatoes. It is advisable to 

 spread the land with manure before planting. 

 Early spring planting is most satisfactory. For 

 hill system the usual distance to plant is 5 ft. by 

 5 ft. If the hedge system is desired, plant 3 ft. 

 apart in rows which are 5 to 7 feet apart. Before 

 planting, the tops should be cut back to 6 inches 

 or less, and plants should be set 2 to 3 inches 

 deeper than they grew in the nursery (soil mark 

 is very plain). Cultivate frequently enough to 

 retain moisture and kill weeds, but be sure not to 

 cultivate over 2 to 3 inches deep next to plants. 

 After the fruiting season remove all fruiting canes. 



cutting them close to the ground and burning them. 

 This will help prevent disease and greatly aid new 

 growth. Do not allow over 8 canes to grow to the 

 plant. Remove all weak canes and suckers so as 

 to throw all the strength into the young bearing 

 canes. Topping canes in the early spring will 

 strengthen the canes and aid in picking. Rasp- 

 berries respond readily to fertile soil, and sufficient 

 fertilizer or manure should be used to keep the 

 soil in good fertile condition. A mulch of straw, 

 hay, leaves, etc., helps retain moisture and takes 

 the place of cultivation. COMPLETE PRUNING 

 AND SPRAYING INFORMATION AVAILABLE 

 AT NO CHARGE. 



GROWING RHUBARB 



Plants should be spaced from 3 to 4 feet apart 

 and the crowns set 4 inches below the surface so 

 they will be covered with 2 to 3 inches of soil. 

 Firm soil about the roots with the feet. Apply 



liberal quantities of manure or fertilizer on land 

 before planting. Shallow cultivation often enough 

 to control weeds is all that is required. No leaf 

 stalks should be pulled the first year rhubarb is set. 



GROWING SWEET POTATOES 



Sweet potatoes are most productive and the 

 tubers are better formed when grown on sandy or 

 light soils. Plants may be set as soon as all 

 danger of frost is past. Set on wide ridges 32 to 36 

 inches apart with the plants 12 to 18 inches apart 

 in the ridge. On very light sandy soil the plants 

 may be set level and ridges formed through culti- 

 vation, but on average soils it is best to form the 

 ridges before planting. 



Plants should be kept moist and protected from 

 sun and wind until set. Watering as the plants 



are set is a good practice. Cultivate until the 

 vines practically cover the ground or tubers begin 

 to form. Topdress with complete fertilizer, high 

 in potash, a week to 10 days after planting at the 

 rate of 4 to 6 pounds per 100 feet of row. 



When digging, if the potatoes are to be stored 

 for later use, care should be taken to avoid bruis- 

 ing and scarring. Lining the containers with 

 paper is a good practice. Store in a dry, warm 

 place where the temperature will not fall below 

 50 degrees. 



COMPLETE PLANTING INSTRUCTIONS SENT WITH EACH ORDER. 



Rayner Brothers offer yon a complete service on planting, care and future maintainance of 

 your plants. Our "Better Berries" bulletins are mailed on timely schedules to give you the 

 seasonal information you may need There is never a charge for these extra services. These 

 are mailed FREE to Rayner Brothers' customers. 

 44 25TH YEAR OF SERVICE — YOU CAN RELY ON RAYNER BROTHERS 



