Having decided to dig up these black caps, I began paying closer attention to the red raspberry.  I noticed that the raspberries growing wild on my place grew mostly in places where big trees had been cut down and young trees had grown up, thus partly shading the plants.  Having this fact in mind, I planted the raspberries as follows:  I planted an orchard, having the trees in parallel rows, and between the trees in these same rows I planted the raspberries.  By planting in this manner, the cultivation would benefit the trees as well as the smaller plants.  Of course after the trees began bearing heavily, the plants nearest the trees had to be removed, and later the other plants likewise were removed.

As a beginner it was a puzzle to me which varieties I should plant.  All varieties listed in the numerous catalogs were so highly recommended as being hardy, large yielders, good shippers, etc., that the selection of plants was not an easy matter.

The speed with which a new variety of raspberry is sent out over the country and discarded is surprising.  The most popular sort at this time was the “Turner” variety.  I did not, however, fancy this variety, for it suckered so immensely that it required continual hoeing to keep the new plants cut down.  The berries were unusually soft and settled down in the boxes, which greatly detracted from their appearance in the crates.  There were also at this time a few of the “Philadelphia” variety being planted.  They are a dark, soft variety and somewhat similar to the Turner.

Just at this time there was being sent out a new variety, known as the Cuthbert, or Queen of the Market, and queen it was indeed.  This was a large, firm berry, and after ripening it would remain on the plant a long time without falling off.  These plants grew up in remarkably long canes, but not knowing how to head them back they would often topple over during a heavy storm.  This added another valuable lesson to my increasing experience, which resulted in my pinching of the new canes as soon as they had attained a height of from three to four feet.  This made the plants more stocky and more able to support their load of berries without the aid of wire or stakes.

Next came the Marlboro, plants of which sold at as much as a dollar apiece in the east.  I then set out a bed of Marlboro, which proved to be even better than the Cuthbert, previously mentioned.  They could be picked while still quite light in color, thus reaching the market while still firm and not over-ripe.  There was only one possible drawback, and that was the fact that I had planted them on a southern exposure, while they were more adapted to a colder or northern exposure.  This variety on a new field, as it was, practically bore itself to death.