The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1872-04-20
Culture Of Strawberries.

ing of the Massachusetts, Horticultural
Society by Mr. J. b. Moore, Of Concord,
very large grower of this fruit for
Boston market:
lie said the best soil for strawberries
is deep loan Of sandy or gravelly ia
ture, but not too dry or leachy; any soil
will grow them that is not very wet or
very dry; but to have them 10 perfec-
tiou good generous loan, well manur-
ed, and thoroughly prepared, is needed
The land should be titled at least one
season beforehand with some hoed crop,
carefully kept from weeds, which, If
allowed to 60 to seed, will increase the
expense Of the strawberry crop In the
fall pillow the land, and during the win
ter, prepare compost Of peat and ma.
uure at the rate Of ten cords per acre,
to be well worked over before planting
time. The compost should be spread
in April aud plowed in, the land well
narrowed and smoothed, and the beds
so arranged that no surface water can
stand in puddles A line is drawn
across the field, the spade is placed
against the line, driven down six inches,
and the earth thrown out sidewise all
one way. The plants, with the roots
pruned aud Kept damp in wet moss in
basket, are set in this trench BY hand,
carefully plaeing the crown of the plant
on level with the surface; If too deep
they rot-i' too high they don't thrive.
The ground is filed in with hoe after
setting the plants; the plants placed II
inches part for most kinds the Agri
culturist needs II inches; the rows 4
feetapart, The cultivator is run through
the space between the rows, and the
hoe used between the plants until they
begin TO run, when two plans are fol
fowed-oae for raising plants, the other
for large fne fruit
When plants are the object, all the
runners are allowed to grow, some care
being used to distribute them evenly
over the bed, and when they begin to
strike, the hoe must be hung up aud
the wedding done by hand Where il
is desired to raise the largest possible
amount of fine fruit, however, two strong
runsers only are allowed to grow 90
each plant, and these are placed in u
inches at each side of the original plant,
making a bed Of 3 rows after these
plants strike, the runner is cut connect
ing 1t with the old plant, aud all other
runners cut as fast as they appear the
wedding is done mostly with a small
hoe. Some varieties will not bear this
method-the Scarlet Runners aud the
Hovey Seeding for instance should
always be allowed to run but the vii
son, Triomphe, Jueunda, Agriculturist,
and most large kinds, do much better
10 this method After the first frosts
of October the bed should be well GOV
cred with litter, the object being not to
keep out frost, but to shade the plants
from the sun aud prevent constant
freezing aud thawing The litter should
be secured by bean poles or other brush
from blowing off; it may be removed
iu April, the beds cleaned Of any weeds,
the paths cut clean, and when the fruit
begins to set, mulch of cut hay or
straw thrown between the plants to
keep the fruit FROM the dirt.
The picking needs a greet deal of
attention to secure uniformly neat ap
pearaDce and assortment of the fruit.
aud much of the business depends upon
systematic arrangement of this part Of
the affair. AIter picking, if the bed is
IN healthy condition, the leaves are
moved off close, raked aud burned to
destroy iusects-a pillow run through
the paths, the path smoothed, and the
earth between the plants stirred with
pronged hoe, and little Peruvian guano
sprinkled over the ground before rain
This seems like harsh treatment, and
has been much criticized, but is good
practice. Tie plauts soon start with
great vigor aud make few runners, but
a strong stool, aud the second crop is
generally better aud ;urer than the first
Mr.. Moore has praetieed this plan for
number Of years, aud eommends it with
confidence; says his third crop is geu.
orally as good as the frst-the second
better; intends to try bed this year
for fourth crop lie has 40 doubt
that by keeping the plauts 10 hills, as
above described, the expense of planting
new bed is great deal more than the
cleaning an old one, aud the crop full
as good as from the old bed. The
Wilson is the great market sort ; the
Triomphe aud the Jucunda are both
good for big berries; the President
Wilder is good berry, but not heavy
bearer.
Mr.. Msore said he found drained
meadow land good for the strawberry
that he could not state with accuracy
the profits realized from an acre of this
fruit, but that he knew that last sum.
mer he had about 3 acres 10 bearing
order he sold some in small quantities
at home, aud his copsignee 10 Boston
returned him besides 81 500; he thought
1t paid him for the outlay and some.
thing more. He had often filled
quart box at one picking, from one
plant of the Wilson parts Of his bed
had yielded at the rate of 10000 boxes
the acre. fair crop was 1000 or 5000
boxes the acre.
Mr.. Hovey said an English straw
berry grower ouce told him the secret
OF raising large fruit was to be found 10
two words, pump, Danare-maaure,
pump.
MANAGEMENT OF Cows IN HoL-
LASD.-Prof Geo. II. Cook, OF the New
Jersey Agricultural College, furnishes