THE CULTURE OP THE RASPBERRY IN THE GARDEN AND IN THE FIELD.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2142, 6 January 1881, Page 3

THE CULTURE OP THE RASPBERRY IN THE GARDEN AND IN THE FIELD.

The plants of the raspberry are obtained by division of the old-established plants in breaking up old plantations, or from suckers which extend from the sides of such, in general freely. Preference should be given to the strongest; and one rod, if strong, is preferable to two or more to the root. In the garden the method of planting is by means of tho line set at the distance of about sft. between tho rows, along which' the points at which tho plants are to be set are to be marked off. A pit is then dug out with tho spade, roomy enough to hold the roots of the plants well laid out. Many plant only one sucker at a point; but we prefer to plant three in the form of a triangle of 6 or 7 inches, base and sides. We should certainly recommend three instead of one plant being put in at each point in the field. Results can 1 be obtained more quickly by doing so than by ' planting only one plant at a point. When the planting of each row is finished, the ground is levelled with the spade between each plant, and a mulching of good manure is laid on all round, to the extent of a foot from the plant; a little earth is then scattered over the mulching to prevent birds from spreading it about. In the field the planting may mainly be done by the plough. A deep furrow being drawn, a long rod, marked at the distances at which tho plants are to be planted, may be carried by two persons, each of whom should also carry a spade, and, laying the rod alongside the furrow, they should proceed to clear out the crumbs which will have fallen into it after the plough. This being done, others should follow with the plants, some laying them out and others planting. A boy or a woman should hold each plant, while a man with a spado fills the earth in about the roots. The earth should be trodden very firmly about the roots as the planting proceeds, and a mulching, as above described, should be applied. The subsequent management of the raspberry is a very simple matter. Pruning is the principal consideration. The stems or rods of the raspberry, as is well known, make their growth one season, and fruit the following season, and die. The pruning then mainly consists of the removal of the old stems, which should be done soon after the crop is gathered. Every rod should be allowed to grow the first and second years to their full development, so as to establish the plants the more fully; but afterwards there should be a procress of selection adopted and practised during the growing season. This should be attended to in the early summer, when each plant should be gone over and examined, selecting eight of the strongest canes, and cutting away the rest, as they are unnecessary for future crop, and would, if allowed to remain, tend to weaken the whole by competing with the strongest for a share of the nutriment supplied by the roots. At the time this selection is made, a piece of matting should be tied loosely round the whole of the selected rods, so as to prevent their being broken by the wind ; the mutual support thus secured will be quite sufficient to keep them safe, if the plantation is in tolerably sheltered quarters, and the raspberry should only bo planted in such quarters. At the close of autumn they should bo gone over again, cutting away the exhausted canes that have borne crop, and singling out the strongest of the young canes, to the number of six, for the purpose of carrying crop next year. These should be shortened back to about three feet six inches, or four feet, and be tied up. In gardens a stake is put to each plant separately, or a strained wire trellis is erected for the purpose of supporting tho rods. But in a rough way the raspberry may be made to support itself, either by tying the rods together in the upright position, or by arching them over so that each bundle of six rods may overlap each other and bo tied together. Where malarial for stakes can be obtained very cheap, we certainly would advise their being used, but in ordinarily well-sheltered positions they are not so entirely essential as to warrant the incurring of a large outlay.