Home Vegetable Gardening by F. F. Rockwell (best novels to read to improve english .txt) 📕

which make fruiting side-shoots, as most of the black raspberries

(blackcaps) do, the canes should be cut back at two to three feet, and

it is well also to cut back these side shoots one-third to one-half,

early in the spring.

In cold sections (New York or north of it) it is safest to give winter

protection by “laying down” the canes and giving them a mulch of rough

material. Having them near the ground is in itself a great protection,

as they will not be exposed to sun and wind and will sometimes be

covered with snow.

For mulching, the canes are bent over nearly at the soil and a

shovelful of earth thrown on the tips to hold them down; the entire

canes may then be covered with soil or rough manure, but do not put it

on until freezing weather is at hand. If a mulch is used, it must be

taken off before growth starts in the spring.

THE BLACKBERRY

The large-growing sorts are set as much as six by eight feet apart,

though with careful staking and pruning they may be comfortably handled

in less space. The smaller sorts need about four by six. When growth

starts, thin out to four or five canes and pinch these off at about

three feet; or, if they are to be put on wires or trellis, they may be

cut when tied up the following spring. Cultivate, mulch and prune as

suggested above.

Blackberries will do well on a soil a little dry for raspberries and

they do not need it quite so rich, as in this case the canes do not

ripen up sufficiently by fall, which is essential for good crops. If

growing rank they should be pinched back in late August. When tying up

in the spring, the canes should be cut back to four or five feet and

the laterals to not more than eighteen inches.

Blackberry enemies do not do extensive injury, as a rule, in well-cared-for beds. The most serious are: (1) the rust or blight, for which

there is no cure but carefully pulling and burning the plants as fast

as infested; (2) the blackberry-bush borer, for which burn infested

canes; and (3) the recently introduced bramble flea-louse, which

resembles the green plant-louse or aphis except that it is a brisk

jumper, like the flea-beetle. The leaves twist and curl up in summer

and do not drop off in the fall. On cold early mornings, or wet

weather, while the insects are sluggish, cut all infested shoots,

collecting them in a tight box, and burn.

BLACKBERRY VARIETIES

As with the other small fruits, so many varieties are being introduced

that it is difficult to give a list of the best for home use. Any

selections from the following, however, will prove satisfactory, as

they are tried-and-true:—Early King, Early Harvest, Wilson Junior,

Kittatinny, Rathburn, Snyder, Erie.

THE DEWBERRY

This is really a trailing blackberry and needs the same culture, except

that the canes are naturally slender and trailing and therefore, for

garden culture, must have support. They may be staked up, or a barrel

hoop, supported by two stakes, makes a good support. In ripening, the

dewberry is ten to fourteen days earlier than the blackberry, and for

that reason a few plants should be included in the berry patch. Premo

is the earliest sort, and Lucretia the standard.

RASPBERRY

The black and the red types are distinct in flavor, and both should be

grown. The blackcaps need more room, about three by six or seven feet;

for the reds three by five feet will be sufficient. The blackcaps, and

a few of the reds, like Cuthbert, throw out fruiting side branches, and

should have the main canes cut back at about two and a half feet to

encourage the growth of these laterals, which, in the following spring,

should be cut back to about one-third their length. The soil for

raspberries should be clayey if possible, and moist, but not wet.

RASPBERRY ENEMIES

The orange rust, which attacks the blackberry also, is a serious

trouble. Pull up and burn all infested plants at once, as no good

remedy has as yet been found. The cutworm, especially in newly set

beds, may sometimes prove destructive of the sprouting young canes. The

raspberry-borer is the larva of a small, flattish, red-necked beetle,

which bores to the center of the canes during summer growth, and kills

them. Cut and burn.

RASPBERRY VARIETIES

Of the blackcaps, Gregg, McCormick, Munger, Cumberland, Columbian,

Palmer (very early), and Eureka (late), are all good sorts. Reds:

Cuthbert, Cardinal (new), Turner, Reliance, The King (extra early),

Loudon (late). Yellow: Golden Queen.

CURRANTS

The currant and gooseberry are very similar in their cultural

requirements. A deep, rich and moist soil is the best—approaching a

clayey loam. There need be no fear of giving too much manure, but it

should be well rotted. Plenty of room, plenty of air, plenty of

moisture, secured where necessary by a soil or other mulch in hot dry

weather, are essential to the production of the best fruit.

The currant will stand probably as much abuse as any plant the home

gardener will have to deal with. Stuck in a corner, smothered in sod,

crowded with old wood, stripped by the currant-worm, it still struggles

along from year to year, ever hopefully trying to produce a meager crop

of poor fruit. But these are not the sort you want. Although it is so

tough, no fruit will respond to good care more quickly.

To have it do well, give it room, four or five feet each way between

bushes. Manure it liberally; give it clean cultivation, and as the

season gets hot and dry, mulch the soil, if you would be certain of a

full-sized, full-flavored crop. Two bushes, well cared for, will yield

more than a dozen half-neglected ones. Anywhere north of New York a

full crop every year may be made almost certain.

PRUNING CURRANTS

Besides careful cultivation, to insure the best of fruit it is

necessary to give some thought to the matter of pruning. The most

convenient and the most satisfactory way is to keep it in the bush

form. Set the plants singly, three or four feet apart, and so cut the

new growth, which is generously produced, as to retain a uniform bush

shape, preferably rather open in the center.

The fruit is produced on wood two or more years old. Therefore cut out

branches either when very small, or not until four or five years later,

after it has borne two or three crops of fruit. Therefore, in pruning

currants, take out (1) superfluous young growth; (2) old hard wood (as

new wood will produce better fruit); and (3) all weak, broken, dead or

diseased shoots; (4) during summer, if the tips of the young growths

kept for fruiting are pinched off, they will ripen up much better—

meaning better fruit when they bear; (5) to maintain a good form, the

whole plant may be cut back (never more than one-third) in the fall.

In special situations it may be advisable to train the currant to one

or a few main stems, as against a wall; this can be done, but it is

less convenient. Also it brings greater danger from the currant-borer.

The black currant, used almost entirely for culinary or preserving

purposes, is entirely different from the red and white ones. They are

much larger and should be put five to six feet apart. Some of the fruit

is borne on one-year-old wood, so the shoots should not be cut back.

Moreover, old wood bears as good fruit as the new growth, and need not

be cut out, unless the plant is getting crowded, for several years. As

the wood is much heavier and stronger than the other currants, it is

advisable gradually to develop the black currants into the tree form.

ENEMIES OF THE CURRANT

The worst of these is the common currant-worm. When he appears, which

will be indicated by holes eaten in the lower leaves early in spring,

generally before the plants bloom, spray at once with Paris green. If a

second brood appears, spray with white hellebore (if this is not all

washed off by the rain, wipe from the fruit when gathered). For the

borer, cut and burn every infested shoot. Examine the bushes in late

fall, and those in which the borers are at work will usually have a

wilted appearance and be of a brownish color.

VARIETIES OF CURRANTS

Red Dutch, while older and smaller than some of the newer varieties, is

hardier and not so likely to be hurt by the borer. London Market, Fay’s

Prolific, Perfection (new), and Prince Albert, are good sorts. White

Grape is a good white. Naples, and Lee’s Prolific are good black sorts.

THE GOOSEBERRY

This is given practically the same treatment as the currant. It is even

more important that it should be given the coolest, airiest, location

possible, and the most moist soil. Even a partially shaded situation

will do, but in such situations extra care must be taken to guard

against the mildew—which is mentioned below. Summer mulching is, of

course, of special benefit.

In pruning the gooseberry, it is best to cut out to a very few, or even

to a single stem. Keep the head open, to allow free circulation of air.

The extent of pruning will make a great difference in the size of the

fruit; if fruit of the largest size is wanted, prune very close. All

branches drooping to the ground should be removed. Keep the branches,

as much as possible, from touching each other.

GOOSEBERRY ENEMIES

The currant-worm attacks the gooseberry also, and is effectively

handled by the arsenate of lead, Paris green or hellebore spraying,

mentioned above.

The great trouble in growing gooseberries successfully is the powdery

mildew—a dirty, whitish fungous growth covering both fruit and leaves.

It is especially destructive of the foreign varieties, the culture of

which, until the advent of the potassium sulfide spray, was being

practically abandoned. Use 1 oz. of potassium sulfide (liver of

sulphur) to 2 gals. water, and mix just before using. Spray thoroughly

three or four times a month, from the time the blossoms are opening

until fruit is ripe.

GOOSEBERRY VARIETIES

Of the native gooseberries—which are the hardiest, Downing and

Houghton’s Seedling are most used. Industry is an English variety,

doing well here. Golden Prolific, Champion, and Columbus, are other

good foreign sorts, but only when the mildew is successfully fought

off.

THE GRAPE

No garden is so small that there cannot be found in it room for three

or four grape-vines; no fruit is more certain, and few more delicious.

If it is convenient, a situation fully exposed to the sun, and sloping

slightly, will be preferable. But any good soil, provided only it is

rich and thoroughly drained, will produce good results. If a few vines

are to be set against walls, or in other out-of-the-way places, prepare

the ground for them by excavating a good-sized hole, putting in a foot

of coal cinders or other drainage material, and refilling with good

heavy loam, enriched with old, well rotted manure and half a peck of

wood ashes. For culture in the garden, such special preparation will

not be necessary—although, if the soil is not in good shape, it will

be advisable slightly to enrich the hills.

One or two-year roots will be the most satisfactory to buy. They may be

set in either fall or spring—the latter time, for New York or north,

being generally preferable. When planting, the cane should