The Colorado Raspberry Industry. 
5 
climatic conditions of any of our fruits, if covered for winter pro¬ 
tection. 
Moisture .—The raspberry requires a medium amount of moisture 
for its best growth except during the fruiting stage, at which time it 
requires a maximum amount. For the most part it is not practicable 
to raise raspberries in Colorado without irrigation. It might be pos¬ 
sible to grow them in certain sections where the rainfall is plentiful 
as compared to the state’s average rainfall but it is doubtful whether 
or not in those sections there would be moisture enough to insure prop¬ 
er growth during the fruiting season. 
If one intends to go into the raspberry business it would be well 
to select a location where a favorable market could be had quite near 
at hand. Careful selection of the site is necessary as regards climatic 
conditions, depth and kind of soil, amount of moisture to be had, etc. 
A southern slope may be warmer during the winter but it may also dry 
out quicker, and this is quite an important factor for all fruits. 
Preparation ok the Future Raspberry Plantation. 
When a fruit plantation of any kind is to be planted on new land 
it is well at first to get it into the best possible condition. In order to 
insure the best results it is important that the seed bed be properly 
made before setting out the plants. Not infrequently fruits of various 
kinds are set in raw land that has never been plowed except in the rows 
where the plants were set. In such cases the plants often grow in a 
stunted way and never acquire the vigor that they should attain. 
One of the best crops for growing on raw land is alfalfa. If 
alfalfa has made a good growth it may be plowed under the second fall 
and if the soil is poor in humus it would be well to plow under the 
last cutting. This will do much in bettering the physical condition 
of raw soil. 
It is well to follow the alfalfa with a hoed crop of some kind, 
such as potatoes, corn, etc. This will help to do away with the weeds 
and leave the soil in fine condition for planting. 
Another reason why land should be cropped before setting out 
raspberries is that when raw land is first irrigated it most always 
settles more or less in spots. As irrigation is necessary year after year, 
it is important that the land has the right slope and has a comparative¬ 
ly smooth surface. The writer knows of no way by which this can 
be accomplished better than by cropping the land, for two and in some 
cases four years before setting out fruit of any kind. 
jFall plowing is preferable to spring plowing especially when there 
is a green crop to be plowed under. Earlier spring planting can 
also be done when the plowing is done in the fall. Irrigation just 
