HOUSE AND GARDEN 
ULY, 19 11 
27 
them up after the season is 
over. As the plants cost 
but a few cents apiece, this 
is not such an extravagant 
system as might at first ap¬ 
pear. 
After setting the plants 
out, do not neglect the bed, 
as success will depend very 
largely upon the thorough¬ 
ness with which the surface 
soil is kept stirred to main¬ 
tain the “dust mulch.” At 
first it will be well to work 
the soil several inches deep, 
to loosen it thoroughly after 
the packing it gets while the 
plants are being set. After 
root growth starts, how¬ 
ever, it should be loosened 
only on the surface, not more than two or three inches deep. In 
verv hot seasons, a summer mulch of hay or spent manure will 
help retain the soil moisture, but weeds must be kept out. 
There are three methods of giving the plants support. The 
one most commonly used is to have a stout stake for each plant, 
to which the canes are tied up with some soft material — raffia or 
strips of old sheeting. The second way is to 
string a stout wire the length of the row and 
tie the plants to this. An improvement on 
this method is to string two wires, several 
inches apart, one on either side of the row. 
Another important matter is the prun¬ 
ing of the canes. The cane berries bear 
fruit on the growth of the season previous, 
and therefore it is necessary to cut out all 
old canes that have borne one crop. This 
should preferably be done just after the 
fruiting season, but is sometimes left until 
fall or spring. In the home garden, how¬ 
ever, there is no excuse for thus putting 
it off. The new growth each year must 
when three or four feet 
high. Where support is 
given, however, they are 
usually not cut back until 
the following spring. In 
the case of those varieties 
which have fruit on side 
shoots, as most of the 
“blackcaps” do, also cut 
back these side shoots one- 
third or one-half in the 
spring. 
It will thus be seen that 
in pruning plants of this 
class there are three things 
to keep in mind: (1) Cut 
out all canes that have 
fruited. (2) Cut out all 
but four or five of the new 
shoots. (3) Cut back both 
new canes and side shoots one-third to one-half. 
Winter protection is usually given in sections where the winters 
are severe — New York or north of it. The canes are laid down 
by bending over as flat as possible, and covering the tips with 
earth. This is not done until just before severe freezing weather. 
The canes are sometimes covered with rough litter; but bending 
them down is in itself a great protection, 
as they will not be so much exposed to 
wind and sun, and will be covered with 
snow when there is any. Another method 
is to cover the entire canes with soil. 
Whatever mulch is used, it should not be 
put on until the ground begins to freeze, 
and should be taken off before any growth 
starts in the spring. 
The Raspberry 
The soil most liked by raspberries is 
clayey. It should be cool and moist, but 
never wet. The black and red types of 
raspberry are distinct in flavor, and both 
The little extra care in cultivation is worth 
while when one grows such blackberries 
as these 
Of the currants, Red Dutch, though older 
and smaller than some sorts, is hardier 
and less injured by the borer 
also be cut out, as 
the plants send up 
more shoots than 
are desirable for 
best results. Cut 
out to the ground 
all but four or five 
of the new canes. 
The canes left, if 
they are to be self- 
s u p p o rting, as 
sometimes grown, 
should be cut back 
should be grown. 
The red varieties 
■ should be planted 
about three feet 
apart in the rows, 
with the rows five 
feet apart; but for 
the blackcaps the 
rows should be six 
feet apart, and in 
rich soil seven will 
(Continued on 
{page 54.) 
Cuthbert, though not quite as early as King, 
is one of the best varieties of red rasp¬ 
berry 
