HAND BOOK FOR THE GARDEN 37 
the injured canes. Bordeaux mixture spraying will help check rust 
and blight but prevention is best—clean cultivation and proper prun- 
ing are essential. Always cultivate thoroughly until fruiting time. 
Blackberries. Set in rows 8 feet apart, space 2 to 4 feet apart 
in the row. The young canes should be cut back when 2 feet high 
to induce branching. Remove old canes every year after fruiting. 
They should be gathered and burned at once to prevent insects 
and diseases. Currants. Rows 6 feet apart, 4 feet apart in row. 
The fruit is borne on both old and young wood but the best is on 
1 year old shoots and spurs. Remove all but 4 to 8 main stems. 
Leave no wood over 3 years old. Shorten vigorous straggling 
shoots and thin out old wood. Gooseberries. Rows 5 feet apart, 
3 feet apart in row. These bear best on 2 and 3 year wood. Prune 
to encourage continuous growth of vigorous shoots. Raspberries. 
Rows 6 feet apart, 4 feet apart in row. Remove old wood after bear- 
ing. Prune Black Raspberries when 18 inches high to induce branch- 
ing. 
GRAPES 
These should be planted in April or the first of May before the 
leaves start. They will do well in any good garden soil, and should 
be set 8 feet apart. Cut back the first Autumn, all new growth to 
two eyes or buds, and lay vine on ground covering with several 
inches of leaves. In the Spring train up to a trellis and when the new 
shoots are 2 or 3 inches long rub off all but the 2 strongest which are 
left to form canes. As growth progresses these canes may be tied to 
the wires. Every Fall nearly all the old bearing wood may be cut 
back to within 2 or 3 inches of the crown, but leaving 3 or 4 strong 
canes of the current year’s growth. These canes are cut back to 3 feet 
and fastened to the wires in a fan shape the following spring. 
HOTBEDS 
Hotbeds are usually constructed in one or other of the following 
ways: 
Temporary Hotbeds. A temporary hotbed may be made by 
using fermenting stable manure, preferably that with a small amount 
of straw or litter in it. This is placed in a broad, flat heap and thor- 
oughly tramped down. A heap ten to twelve feet wide and six to 
twelve feet in length with the manure eighteen to twenty-four inches 
deep should give sufficient heat. Upon the surface of this a frame 
made eight inches high at the front and twelve inches high at the back 
with taper boards for ends is built. At intervals of three feet laths are 
laid to support the sash. If severe weather is likély to occur during the 
time the hotbed is in use, the frame should be banked with manure to 
give additional heat and protection. After placing the frame upon the 
manure heap, about four inches of good garden loam should be scat- 
tered over the area enclosed by the frame. After the sash has been 
placed in position, allow the bed to heat up, but do not plant any seeds 
in the bed until the temperature begins to go down, which will be in 
about three days after the sash has been put into place. When the 
eee tre has fallen to ninety degrees, planting may be safely 
started. 
Permanent Hotbeds. For a permanent bed, a pit two to two 
and a half feet in depth, and of suitable length and width should be 
provided. The sides and ends may be supported by a lining of 1 inch 
planks and held up by posts four feet apart and this pit lining should 
come up flush with the surface of the soil, or the lining may be of 
