1903 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
’339 
PINCHING RASPBERRY SHOOTS, 
For four years wo have carefully pinched the grow¬ 
ing shoots of both black and red raspberries, and 
have about concluded that it is not a profitable opera¬ 
tion. The plantation on which the experiment was 
conducted consists of 18 rows, each 150 feet long. 
Nine rows are Gregg and nine Cuthbert. The plan of 
the experiment as given in the last report of the 
station foilows: 
For the experiment, the plot of each variety was divided 
Into three smaller plots, each of which contained three 
rows. Each of these three-row plots had one row that 
was left unpinched, one row of which the shoots only 
were pinched, and one row in which both the shoots and 
laterals were pinched. In the first plot of each variety, 
the shoots of the pinched rows were pinched as fast as 
they attained the height of 12 Inches; in the second plot 
they were pinched as fast as they attained the height of 
18 inches, and in the third plot, as they attained the 
height of 24 inches. The laterals were pinched as they 
attained a length of 12 inches. 
From this it may be seen that the plan furnished 12 
separate experiments; high, medium and low pinch¬ 
ing of both black and red, and each method combined 
with the pinching of laterals. Only five shoots to a 
plant were allowed to grow, all others being removed 
and weighed, in order to learn the effect of pinching 
on the production of shoots and suckers. Every re¬ 
tained shoot was carefully watched and promptly be¬ 
headed as soon as it attained the required height. The 
fruit from each row was weighed separately and the 
average size of the berries determined. 
Three points have been kept in mind during the 
progress of the experiment, viz., the effect of pinch¬ 
ing on the yield of fruit, on the 
growth of shoots and suckers, and the 
size of the berries. An examination of 
the summarized statements of four 
crops shows a slight gain in fruit pro¬ 
duction in tlie Gregg in favor of pinch¬ 
ing. The high pinching gave better 
results than low pinching. The tabu¬ 
lated statements also show that the 
pinching largely increased the produc¬ 
tion of shoots. Contradictory evidence 
appears when we examine the tables 
showing the size of the berries. From 
the first two crops the berries from 
the pinched rows were smaller than 
those from the unpinched ones, while 
for the past two years, the results 
were wholly different. 
In the Cuthbert the results were 
plainly in favor of normal develop¬ 
ment of the canes. In every case, the 
pinching decreased the fruit yield, de¬ 
creased the number of suckers and 
diminished the size of the berries. The 
injury in all cases was in proportion 
to the extent of the pinching. The 
low, twice-pinched plants were plainly 
devitalized. In the Northwest, rasp¬ 
berry growing will not prove profit¬ 
able unless the plants are given Winter protection. 
This is commonly done by laying down the canes 
and covering with earth. We have found the extra 
labor involved in covering the more bushy, pinched 
canes of the Gregg will more than offset the slightly 
increased fruit production. The extra labor required 
in pinching must be counted as further loss. In the 
reds it is a clear case of loss from start to finish. 
There has not been a conspicuous difference in the 
appearance of the rows at any time. The once-pinch¬ 
ed rows spread fully as wide as the not-pinched ones, 
and were not more easily cultivated. The twice 
pinched rows w'cre a trifle moi-e compact, but still 
spread laterally to a considerable extent. It thus ap¬ 
pears that under the conditions here, pinching is 
wholly unprofitable, and it is doubtful whether it will 
be found profitable under any circumstances. 
Wis. Experiment Station. Frederic cratvefikld. 
CEMENT AND SIDEHILL FOR HOGHOUSE. 
I am about to build a hoghouse, and would like some 
advice as to what kind of floor to be used. I had planned 
to use a cement floor, but have been told that this would 
be too cold, and that the pigs would not be healthy. I 
had also planned to build the lower story of stone, the 
upper one for storing corn or w'ood. Would a house of 
this description be too damp? The location is on a side 
hill with good drainage. Would a basement be desirable? 
I use board floors. Cement floors are good provid¬ 
ed one has plenty of straw for bedding, otherwise 
they are too cold and damp. I prefer cheap struc¬ 
tures for hoghouses; nothing elaborate or expensive. 
New Yoik. kiojiard a. stone. 
In my opinion such a house If properly ventilated 
and with perfect drainage would answ'er for fattening 
bogs and for temporary quarters for farrowing sows, 
provided that nesting quarters were furnished with 
plank floors on top of the cement floor. There would 
be no place for rats underneath such a hoghouse. One 
fact must be borne in mind, that cold damp quarters 
mean scours and death to young pigs. 
Michigan. wile w. fisher. 
Plans for a Building. 
I shall build a house 22x60 feet, six-foot eaves, with 
one-third pitch roof, with an alley six feet wide 
through the center of building lengthwise. This will 
leave pens on either size eight feet, and they can be 
made 8x10 feet or more or less as seems best. I shall 
make mine 8x10; this will leave me 12 pens. As re¬ 
gards the use of cement floors, I have not seen any 
bad results from them where the hogs had the privi¬ 
lege of an outside run, and I shall build a cement 
floor in my own hoghouse. I would not recommend 
building a stone wall over three to 3^ feet high. In 
my own building I shall not build wall over one foot 
in height, and shall make floor on a level with it 
with suflicient slope from center of alley to drain off 
all liquid. I would not build in a side hill, as I think 
it would bo too damp. I would not build a two-story 
hoghouse: would advise building your corn house 
by itself, and make it so you can drive in and un¬ 
load on either side of wagon. The diagrams shown at 
Fig. 121 are of the building that I intend to build for 
myself. e. e. h. 
Stanley, N. Y. 
A Satisfactory Hoghouse. 
We have a hoghouse that we built several years 
ago, and up to the present time we would build the 
same if we had to do it over again. The building 
starts from one side of our orchard and runs nearly 
back to the other side, with driveway in the center 
and pens on each side, so that all of the pigs have a 
place to run out and graze. At some times of the 
year we wish to keep some of the smaller pigs sep¬ 
arate from the others, and have arranged seven or 
eight pens with yards so that the others cannot mix 
with them. Our building is about 34 feet wide by 90 
feet long, cement floor. Commencing on one side the 
floor has a slight decline toward the center for nine 
feet, at that point there is a gutter running length¬ 
wise of the building, 12 inches wide by four inches 
deep. From this gutter there is a slight incline to¬ 
ward the center for four feet, where the feed trough 
is so that the hogs are fed from the driveway on 
either side. The driveway is five feet across, being 
exactly in the center of the building and perfectly 
level. The pens are eight feet wide and 14 feet deep. 
The other side is built identically the same. About 
eight feet from the outer side in each pen is a 2x4 
running lengthwise of the building, and raised about 
two inches from the cement floor. This is to keep the 
bedding from getting into the gutter, and at the same 
time letting any water that might be in the hed pass 
into the gutter. There is a door to each pen leading 
out into the orchard; also one leading to the drive¬ 
way. The building is stone for about four feet, plas¬ 
tered with Portland cement. The building is two- 
story; the top story being rather low, we store it full 
of straw and use for bedding. There are windows on 
both sides, so that in the Spring after the straw has 
been used up, the second story makes an excellent 
place for little chickens, especially in a wet season 
like last year. We have never had any trouble about 
the cement floor being damp. Of course It may be 
rather cold, but any board floor would be cold in the 
Winter, as there is geper^lly a current of air under 
the building, which is not so in cement; then there 
being a slope in the place used for bedding, and with 
plenty of good straw, we do not think a wood floor 
over a cement would be any benefit. In cleaning the 
pens either a large wheelbarrow can be used or one 
horse could be driven in on a go-devil. We try to use 
enough straw to soak up what water there is, but the 
gutter is fixed so that if we do not have straw enough 
the remainder will run out of the lower end of the 
building. There is very little slope to the gutter, but 
enough so that it will run out. That should drain 
into a tank so as to save the urine. We would advise 
having a second story as it could be used for storing 
either corn, wood or even tools if you do not use it 
to store bedding. We also have a cement floor In 
our cow stable, and are very much pleased with It. 
We followed practically the same plan in our cow 
stable that we did in our hogpen, and And that the 
cows do not slip any more on cement than they did 
on wood. One thing must be observed; to have the 
surface made rough either with a broom or a small 
rake. We used a heavy broom a few minutes after 
we smoothed the surface of the cement, and this 
would make it just rough enough so that it would 
not be slippery. r. h. gates a sons. 
New York. 
GREEN BEANS AS A SECOND CROP. 
FOLLOWING STRAWBERRIES.—Beans may be 
profitably grown on an old strawberry field that has 
been plowed under after the fruiting season. Green 
beans may also follow early cabbage, peas and swe'»t 
corn as a second crop. It is not al¬ 
ways advisable to grow a bean crop on 
a field that is to be reset to strawber¬ 
ries the following Spring. If there is 
a lack of nitrogen and humus in the 
soil, it is best to plant the field to cow 
peas or Crimson clover to be plowed 
under for a fertilizer. If, however, it 
is decided to plant to beans the ground 
is plowed and thoroughly harrowed, 
when it is left in this condition until 
what weed seed there may be near the 
surface has sprouted, when the field is 
again harrowed and planted. The plant¬ 
ing is done with a common wheat drill 
by stopping up the second, third, fifth, 
sixth and eighth disks in the drill box. 
In this way three rows will be drilled 
at once, placing them 24 inches apart. 
The ground is sometimes furrowed 
out and the beans planted with a corn 
drill. Fig. 122 represents a field of 
beans planted upon an old strawberry 
field; first picking 47 days from the 
time of planting. 
AFTER CABBAGE.—As early cab¬ 
bage is given extra good cultivation it 
is not necessary to rebreak the ground, 
but when the cabbages are nearly 
all taken off the field the space between the rows is 
plowed with a small shovel plow and the beans drill¬ 
ed in between each row of cabbage. In this way the 
beans will get a week or so earlier start than if we 
wait until all the cabbage is removed. In cutting the 
cabbage we always remove the entire stalk and all 
leaves with the head; thus they do not Interfere with 
the second crop By the time all the cabbage is sold 
the beans will be large enough to be cultivated. 
PICKING.—The green beans are disposed of at the 
farm cannery, and are allowed to grow until the beans 
in the pod are about half grown. The beans are 
picked as early In the morning as possible after the 
dew has dried from the vines. The beans at this time 
are much more tender and palatable than after the 
fierce rays of the sun have absorbed the moisture 
from the leaves and pods. The pods will be more 
brittle, consequently easier picked and prepared for 
the can, and they require less time to cook and then 
there is a much better product. The picking is most¬ 
ly done by girls, who are paid by the hour. (See Fig. 
122.) Each girl picks one row at a time and places 
the beans in a basket or bucket, and when filled it is 
emptied into bushel boxes on a low wagon that is 
driven along as the pickers move forward, always 
having boxes close by, which saves much time In 
emptying the buckets. When the wagon is loaded it 
Is driven to the cannery and the boxes of beans un¬ 
loaded and weighed and more empties hauled to the 
ELMER G. TTJFTB. 
Indiana. __ 
VIRGINIA FRUIT.—We had a very early Spring here 
and when everything was In bloom on April 3-4 a killing 
frost, half-inch of Ice, and thermometer 26 degrees. Con¬ 
siderable Injury was done, but 10 days later It did not ap¬ 
pear as bad as was at first expected, and I find Elberta 
and other August and September peaches about cleaned 
up, but earlier and later seem to have a quantity unin¬ 
jured. Cherries and Japan plums suffered considerably; 
strawberries had all bloom that was out killed, but tak- 
In the whole of my crop. I do not think more than 10 
per cent is lost. Apples, like the Winter sorts, that were 
not out in bloom, are uninjured. Walter whatelt. 
Sec. Va. Horticultural Society. 
LEANS FOLLOWING STRAWBERRIES. Fig. 122. 
