The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-07-29
evening r. state so',s.rnar.
SATURDAY EVENING. JULY 80, 1871.
AGRICULTURAL.
: AsttFroImn Che Oneida clrouIar.l
The Oneida strawberry Harvest.

~ i"iohit3 NAiotitCis a. PClDApo lIU
other point on the New York Central are
more strawberries shipped. Wishing to
ascertain the exact figures, | recently spent
a fofenoen looking oyer the books Of the
American Express Oonpany's office OF
Oneida, assisted by Mr.. George Lawrence,
a gentleman well acquainted with the ship
ping business. We asccrtained that be-
tween the 18th of june and the 9th Of
July, 5000 crates of Strawberries, con-
tanning 1874, $50 quarts or $50 bushels,
were shipped on the New York Central and
mainly to eastern markets. Add to this
amount the fruit shipped from Oneida to
various points on the Midland, and that sold
in the village of Oneida for Immediate con-
sumption and for canning, and that raised by
the Oneida Community for the same pur-
poses, there would be total product of
considerably more than 5000 bushels. In
fact, the sti awberries raised by the Oneida
Community added to the amount shipped
on the Central make q total Of 8 1896 BUSH
els. And yet all were grown within five
miles Of the Oneida Community, which first
nineteen years ago. Their first shipment
was a crate Of twelve quarts. The Com
munity agent returned home reporting good
luck, having disposed of precisely one-half
of the shipment at twelve and half cents
per- quart! That was the beginning of
strawberry marketing in the Oneida Valley
whence now are shipped so many thousand
bushels. ,s nm, M t'''. 7,
Strawberry raising was begun here by
the y. q. setting out one hundred plants Of
the Early Scarlet variety. In the succeed
ing year, 1852, our few beds of strawber-
ries yielded SO well, and the fruit was SO
delicious, that it did not seem quite right to
enjoy this first of, summer fruits alone, so
We invited all our neighbors, within circle
of four miles, to come and share our boun-
ty. Over four hundred, ON two separate
days, of the good people of Vernon, the
Castle Oneida and the farmers of this vi
cinity, responded to the invitation. How
much that early festival had to do with
strawberry culture around us, we cannot
say. Oar Immediate neighbors were the
first to interr0gates our shorticpltprists re-
speeding the mode of cultiyating small fruits
for market. Their sticcess, in turn, en-
coqraged others to do likewise until the ag-
gregate number of farmers, and others in
the business, cannot'be less than seventy
five The amount Of land appropriated to
Strawberries has been estimated as high as
one hundred and thirty acres within six
miles Of Oneida but would not probably
exceed one hundred acres. 5.tas53 lrurikii iii
We Judge that the average yield per acre
the present, season has been eighty bushels !:
but those who have given proper attention
to ne details Of cultivation, applying the
right Kinds Of fertilizers, keeping clean
grounds, etc., have been rewarded by a
yield of from one hundred and fifty to two
hrrr,I ,.rI hole A
field that does not yield over fifty bushels
per acre is. poor, one indeed but even
that amount, at eighty cents per quart, net,
wOnid return to the farmer one hundred
and twenty-cight dollars for his labor. But
increase the yield to two hundred bushels
per acre, and the farmer gets five hundred
and twelve dollars instead Of one hundred
and twenty-eight, while the cost of cultiva-
ton is not much augmented.
A neighbor informed us, day or two
since, that, from his one and half acres of
strawberries, he gathered Z 900 quarts, and
having contracted them at twelve and a
half cents per quart through the season, he
realized the handsome sum of 1915.
The Community raised several acres of
strawberries every year until the demand
for their manufactures became SO great that
less attention could be given to horticultural
matters and now our strawberry planta-
ton is limited to about one acre. Below
will be found Mr.. Henry Hackers straw
berry report for the present season.
,,, ~ ,,.,, [G. Q.
"The Community had in bearing trife
less than one acre of ground, there being
three-fourths of an, acre covered with vii
sons Albany Seeding, and one-fourth of an
acre of TriomPhe de Gand less one square
rod. We harvested ofthe Wilson Strawberries
6,74lquarts or 2l0 bushels and 81 quarts,
being at the rate of $50 rs bushels to the
acre. Of the Triomphe we gathered only
1856 quarts, or at the rate of 20 rs bushels
to the acre u ieols - tstHA1
The soil from which the CROP was
taken is a grayelly loan, in which potatoes
were grown the year previous to setting out
to strawberries. About thirty wagon-loads
Of manure were spread on the piece late in
the fall. The next spring the ground was
pl0wed1to the depth of nine inches, har- \
rowed and set to plants in the latter part of
April, in rows thirty-four inches apart, and
the plants one foot apart in the row. The
plantation received good cultivation, though
the plants suffered quite severely from
drought during the first part Of the season.
The runners were cut several times during
the season, and none were allowed to take
root. Late in the fall the plants received
the usual protection of straw, covering the
whole of the ground to the depth of two
inches. Early in the spring the straw was
parted from off the crowns, and the plants
received top-dressing of bone-dust, dis
solved in sulphuric, acid at the rate of four
hundred and fifty pounds to the acre, and
also like quantity of plaster of paris.
Notwithstanding the protection given to the
plants, the winter proved too severe for the
Triomphes, and although they started well
and blossomed freely, they set very little
perfect fruit. The spring drought was
quite severe in this section. ltcommenced
early. in the season, and continued without
intermission until strawberries commenced
to ripen. Consequently, although the fruit
set well on the vines that were not injured
by the winter, the berries did not attain
their usual size. Wilson'S Seedlings, how
ever. matured well, andnryielded . fine
CROP"
IA