The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1867-05-16
agrifnlturaI.
20 ealEaEs 81 sLgawberEles.


Aquaint old Friend used to re-
mark TO 10 that .'the beat way todo
anything was as good As any" We
have long been satisfied that this
would apply to strawberry faieing,
and what is termed hill cultiva-
ton, in connection with keeping
the runners closely cut of, is the
most profitable, even for extended
market culture. The crop is so
much larger and tho berries so much
finer that they more than repay
the additional labor. Among the
largest and most enterprising mar.
keters in the country is our cor
respondpnt, A. NJ. Purdy. of South
Bend, Ind We see by his cata.
logae, Just published which, BY the
way, contains a great deal that
would be valuable for beginners,
that he has fully adopted the opin
ion that raising in bills is the most
profitable He says: I'VE have
heretofore. strongly advocated the
matted row system. but after care
ful and practical comparisons. we
are satisfied that the hill method is
best, one year after another. Tho
fruit averages double the sise--the
crop double, and, on most soils,
with less labor. Iu hills they form
such strong bushy tops that the
fruit and blossoms are protected
from severe late spring frosts
''Last spring we had a late frost
in May that nearly ruined ou
plantations that grow in matted
rows, while those grown in hills
were but slightly damaged. aud
yielded very heavy crop. An
other reason is, that the heavy tops
mat down around the crown in the
winter, and protect it from the &C.
ton of the frost, while those grown
in the matted row form but small
tops aud are not thus protected.
Again, and If the ground should be
weedy, thoy are attended 10 with
much less work and care than II al.
lowed to throw out runners Tho
work can nearly all be done with
the hos and Gu tivator, while if in
matted rows, il has to be done W o.
the fingers, which is very labori.
GUS indeed" He adds, that tho
only case in which the matted row
is admissible,is whore tho land is
quito free from weeds and ia not
liable to severe frosts in wintor or
spring, aud that wh |, all va
rieties will do better grown in hilIs,
some will not succeed in any other
way. AS coon as the hills are
through bearing. rotted manure or
compost is plowed or spaded deep
between the ro ys, and in addition
TO cutting off all tho runners that
are starting, the entire top of the
plant is taken off close 70 the crown.
This is deemed very essential
preventing the plant from remain
ing in dormant state for weeks,
and causing new roots to be thrown
out Immediately and making a
large mass or stool by autumn.
The matted or alternate row
system here formerly practiccd,
was described in some OF our Tor.
mer volumes, and consists in keep.
ing tho rows clean after they are
set out, and training the runners
along the row 30 that they ulii.
mately form thick mass in strip
about foot and hall wide. Rot.
tod manure 10 scattered among them
before freezing, and they arc work.
ed and cultivated with the fork in
spring. After lruiting, these rows
are again dressed down to about
ak inches in width, and treated as
before for another years boaring;
or else they are allowed TO Oil with
new plants the spaces between the
rows; and after which the old rows
are plowed or shaded in--succes
sion Of new plants being now OBJ.
tained without the labor Of setting
out by hand.
Whom the plants arc placed in
the hills at equll distances each
way, the runners may be cut Off u,
little or no cost by means OF u sharp
wheel attached to the side of the
cultivator, A more perfect mode,
however, is to do the work by the
hand with sharp sheep shears by
the use of which u ready pr@ticed
man will go over from ono To two
acres day. This mode may be
applied to rows which are cultivated
only one way.-C County Gentleman.