446 Report oF THE HortICULTURAL DEPARTMENT OF THE 
_ Selection of varieties— Plant mainly only those kinds that 
appear to succeed in the immediate locality, testing newer ones 
in a small way. ‘The varities best suited for one set of conditions 
may be failures elsewhere. In another part of this bulletin are 
given lists of varieties found desirable in many parts of the State 
but it cannot be expected that all will do equally well in the same 
locality. 
Propagation and selection of plants——lRed raspberries are 
usually propagated by transplanting the numerous suckers which 
come up freely around the original hills. Black raspberries are 
increased by rooting the tips of the nearly mature canes in late 
August or early September. The ends of the canes are covered 
lightly with earth, and by late fall a large mass of fibrous roots 
will be formed with a well developed crown. Varieties of purple 
raspberries are hybrids, produced by crossing red and black rasp- 
berries, and some of them may be propagated either by using 
suckers or by rooting the tips of the canes. Blackberries do not 
sucker as freely as the red raspberries. ‘These suckers have but 
few fibrous roots and as a rule do not make such good plants as 
those started from cuttings of the blackberry roots. The roots 
may be dug in the fall, cut into two or three inch lengths, stratified 
over winter and sown in nursery rows in the spring and most 
excellent plants are usually obtained after one season’s growth. 
Only strong healthy plants should be selected, and it is often an 
advantage to choose these from a younger plantation rather than 
from an old-bed the plants of which may have deteriorated in 
vigor and may be infested with various insects and diseases. 
Setting the plants Blackberries and red raspberries may be 
set either in the fall or in the early spring. If set in late Octo- 
ber or early November the rows should be plowed up to, making 
a back furrow along each row of plants. ‘This will be a great 
protection against winter injury. ‘The earth should be taken 
away from the hills as soon as the ground is in working order in 
early spring. Such plants, as a rule, start into growth earlier 
than those set in the spring. These plants should be set as deep, 
or slightly deeper, than they were in the original beds. Black 
raspberry plants and the purple kinds rooted from the cane tips 
