Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-03-16

care of them. If to be done wholly by hand
labor, set them eighteen inches apart each way,
in beds, three rows in each bed, with space OF
two and half feet between the beds A still
better plan is to set the plants in the middle row
opposite the space between the plants in the
outer rows, instead of opposite the plants. BY
| adopting this quincunX method, the ground is
more economically used, as the rows may be but
fifteen inches apart, and still leave room for cul'
tiyating and gathering the fruit. II part OF the
| labor is to be done with horse, set them foot
| distant, in rows two feet apart, which will re-
| quire about twenty thousand plants to an acre,
while the distance first mentioned will not re-
| quire as many.
Having thus established plantation, keep
| the ground clear of weeds, by all means. To
effect this, ten or twelve hoeings the first season
may be necessary. This frequent stirring the
| ground will have an astonishing effect upon the
| growth of plant, and prove permanent benefit.
| As the runners begin to appear, keep them
| closely clipped the rest of the season. Once in
ten or twelve days they will generally need at
| tention. | have used many devices for this
| work but find sharp knife or shears the only
etfectual tool. man without any bend to his
back had better let strawberry growing alone, as
| there is no lodging aching backs.
| When the ground becomes sufficiently frozen
| TO bear up team, cover the whole track with
| liberal mulch of straw or coarse hay to depth
of two or three inches and then our first years
work is completed.
In the spring, when the weather becomes set
tied remove the mulch carefully from the crown
of each plant only, allowing the rest TO remain
until after the fruit is gathered. It sometimes
necessary TO add more mulch in the spring, so
as cfiectually to check the growth of weeds, as
the less the ground is stirred before the time of
fruiting, the better
The iruiting season over, remove the mulch
entirely from the field, giving the whole tract a
liberal dressing of old compost, well-rooted
manure, or wood ashes. The latter l consider
by far the most valuable fertilizer for strawber-
| ries that can be found. Manage the same as
the previous year; hoe often, and keep the run
ners closely clipped. A plantation thus man
aged will last many years, and heavy, remun-
erative crop is a certainty.
The number of bills on an acre has already
been stated. An average yield is a quart to two
or three hills. A quart on single hill is moth
ing uncommon. The amount realized per acre
at fair prices can easily be estimated.
AS TO the proper time for setting plants have
but one opinion, and that is, that the spring is
the only time that it can be done successfully.
A small bed may be set in early autumn, and
possibly do something the next year; but the
chances are that it will not prove satisfactory
to those who undertake it.
VARIETIES.
As to varieties, experience must be the.teach
er, as some varieties are better adapted to GER
tain kinds of soil than Others. For instance,
the lucinda, one of the best varieties for clayey
soil, is of no value on light or sandy one.
Downers Prolific French'S Seeding, Ida, Green
Prolific and Wilson do well on light or sandy
soils. The Wilson, in fact, succeeds everywhere,
and is still the great market variety, of the
country. My experience with that variety,
grown in hills as herein advocated, has shown
it to be very uncertain after two or three years
from time of setting. The Nicanor for early,
Charles Downing for medium and the Jucunda
for late would be my preference. Where the
Triomphe de Gand will succeed, | doubt whe-
ther any other variety grown, save the LUCINDA,
will prove remunerative. If to be grown in
beds, in tie ordinary wav, | should take Will
son, Lady of the Lake and Charles Downing.
We are continually experimenting with the
newer as well as other varieties, and the record
of the past year can be briefly stated. My soil
is a heavy loan, with subsoil inclined to clay;
modes of culture, hills and beds.
| Philddelphid.-Next in value to the Nicanor
as an early variety, being of good size, SNOWY,
sweet and good.
Ida.-Eary and productive, but too small for
market.
Downer's Prolific can always be relied on for
good crop, and will stand neglect better than
any other variety; of good size and fair quality,
| but little soft for distant marketing.
| RuSSePS PrOtifc.-Large, and very pr0duc-
tive, but too liable to decay to be valuable here.
Green Prolific is very vigorous grower;
heavy bearer; fruit very uniform and large,
quite firm, and of excellent quality.
La CoRStdnte is delicious fruit, but too little
of it.
Brooklyn Scarlet.-The same.
AgricutturiSt has proved such an irregular
bearer for several years past, that il must give
way for other desirable varieties.
Peaks Emperor (new,) which many claim as
identical with the above, has not so proved with
me. 1t is similar in many respects-growth of
plant, size and shape of fruit; but it has proved
dOubly as productive as the AgricultufiSt here
| and Tnupb cuDnrior in ~ nd hos moi
that disagreeabe taste that the Agriculturist
has when thoroughly ripe.
CotdG is a humbug without competitor;
SMALL soft, pasty, nsipid, good-for-nOthing fruit
1t will not be heard of after this year.
ROneyn'S Seeding is so nearly identical with
the Triomphe de Gand, that / have not as yet
been able to find the difference.
Golden QueeR.-Of no value. Very large frtit,
but shy bearer.
LennigS Whte.-Par Excellence the finest of
strawberries in flavor; Indispensable for family
use, but too small and soft for market purposes.
Michigan (new.) A hardy, healthy, vigorous
plant; enormously productive; fruit of the aver
age size, and fair quality. Very promising.
Napoleon W.-Delicious in every respect.
| Late; extra large; good bearer; flesh white,
rich, juicy, and of a sprightly, high flavor. Its
color is against its becoming a popular market
variety being light orange, and not very at
tractiYe, but as garden variety it is indispensa-
| BILE.
|
believe it will become one of the most popu-
| lar late varieties on the list Season very late;
fruit very large, firm, of the finest quality, and
enormously productive; plant vigorous, healthy
and hardy; satisfactory in every particular.
President Wider new have not fruited, but
| from all the parties that have, or have seen it
in fruit hear but one report, and that is, that
it is the most promising variety for market or
| home use on the list; and my opinion, based on
visit to Mr.. Wilder's original he'd of them,
| will concur with theirs. | see nothing IN the
| growth of plant, on my ground, that shows that
constitutional weakness or inclination to sun
| burn that some skeptcal parties have imagined.
The Wilson, Nicanor, Lady of the Lake,
| Charles Downing, and lucinda, have proved so
valuable with me for market purposes, that
give them the preference over all others in cult
| walton up to the present time. Another years
trial with the varieties recently disseminated,
| and which are very promising in many particu-
lars, may add some Others to the already large
| list of valuable strawberries.