RASPBERRY, a general name for those shrubs of the genus Rubus, whose fruits sep arate from the receptacle upon attaining ma turity. They are natives of the north tem perate zone and are especially numerous in Europe and America. They are characterized by their perennial underground parts, usually biennial spiny stems which with few exceptions bear fruit the second season and then die. A few cultivated varieties, notably Saint Regis and Gault, bear some fruit on the young stems the same season as these develop. Several species are valued for ornamental purposes but the three following are the most important because of their edible fruits, for which the plants, except the first which is unsuited to Ameri can climatic conditions, are widely cultivated, especially in the United States and Canada. The European raspberry (R. ideas), which has been cultivated in Europe for several centuries, was among the earliest European fruits intro duced into America, but it has not made an equal headway with the next species because it has a very extended period of ripening, and is more adapted to the amateur than to the com mercial berry-grower. Its fruits, either red or yellow, are of the best quality, but the plants are considered somewhat tender in northern climates. The American red raspberry (R. strigosus) resembles the preceding species in habit and color of fruit, but is rather inferior in quality. This defect, however, is offset by its hardiness, ready adaptability to many con ditions and its prolific and rapid production of fruit. The black raspberry or blackcap (R. oecidentatir) is the most important species of its genus, since it is hardy, productive, adaptable to many soils and conditions, and its fruits, being firm, are useful for shipping con siderable distances or for evaporating as well as for canning and eating fresh. It was intro duced into cultivation in 1832, since when sev eral hundred varieties have been offered for tale.
The red raspberries are propagated by means of suckers, or root-cuttings. The former may appear at any time throughout the growing sea son; the latter may be made by thrusting * spade deeply into the ground around well-estab lished plants and thus severing the roots, each piece of which will produce a new plant. With new or scarce varieties the plants are often dug up, the roots cut in small pieces and rooted in greenhouses, hot beds and cold frames. In the field the plants are usually set not less than 3 by 5 feet apart, the plants being allowed to form a continuous hedge row, cultivation being given only one way. Except while the planta
tions are under three years old it is impossible with most varieties to culti\ ate in two direc tions (checks) because the plants develop suckers abundantly.
The black raspberry does not produce suck ers, except at the crown, but the tips of the canes bend over until they reach the ground and become covered and develop roots. Other buds near the end may develop short stems which also become rooted. These •°tips" are severed for planting, sometimes in autumn but usually in spring, and are set somewhat farther apart than thd red varieties, usually 5 by 5 or 6 by 6 feet part. They are generally culti vated in two directions because of this %Hine habit There is a hybrid group of raspberries which propagate by both tips and suckers or root cuttings, usually by the latter. They are supposed to be derived from the black and the American red species, but 'since they are corm; mon in the wild state and are fairly stable, they are often grouped under the species name, R: neglectus. Several varieties have been widely Cultivated. Their fruit ranges from purple, through reds to yellow.
Raspberries succeed best upon deep; moist; but well-drained loamy soils; the blacks upon the heavier and the reds upon the' lighter. The more retentive of moisture the soil 'is the better, since the 'fruit ripens at a time when water is often scarce. Hence the addition of humus is usually desirable. It may be most' easily ob tained in the form of stable manure and green manures, such as clover grown at least one year before planting to raspberries. The ground should be plowed as deeply as possible without turning up the subsoil, and after harrowing, the plants set. Clean cultivation both ways is usually practised until midsummer when a covet crop of crimson clover or some shallower route ing plant is sown to be turned under the fob lowing spring. Sometimes, however, other crops,' such as peas, beans, tomatoes and other shallow rooting vegetables which are not tall, are grown between the rows for one or per haps two years. Wood ashes, muriate of potash, superphosphates and ground bone. are favorite sources of potash and phosphoric acid. With adequate tillage during the sum mer, spring plowing may be' avoided.