The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1878-05-09
From Western Rural.
TRYING NEW VARIETIES OF
STRAWBERRIES.

STRAW BERRIES
EDITORS WESTERN RURAL: 1t is
known to some of your many readers
that ] have paid q good deal Of atten-
ton to the cultivation of this fruit for
a good many years past. / have spent
both money and time in trying new
varieties until | have been sometimes
considerably disheartened and discour-
aged. We need q berry a little earlier
than the Wilson, and another a little
later; one that will prolong its bearing
period until we get fairly into the
raspberry season. They should be at
least as good in all respects as the VIII
son, and if they were an Improvement
in some points all the better.
have been aiming at this for near
ly twenty years. / have. purchased
new and highly recommended yarie-
ties from the east and from the west,
and in both places at high prices.
Sometimes they have cost me more
than one dollar per plant. Still the
first cash cost is not by any means the
main expense After they are nicely
set in some favored spot, with every
thing done for them that can be
thought OF to make them q success,
| then comes the careful cultivation, the
watching, the waiting, for one, two,
three OF more years; changing them to
another soil after reading somewhere
that they will only succeed in certain
kinds OF soils, and at last ploWing them
all under for manure. The following
spring you commence again with some
more and other of the new varieties
that are coming out every year, and re-
peat the process, and so keep on until
your patience if not your money gives
out, and it seems if there was no use
OF trying any longer This has been
Just my experience for many years
past in trying to accomplish the OBJ
ject named.
Let me say right here to those who
are beginning the cultivation Of this
fruit, or the amateur: GosloW on the
new varieties. The Wilson is reliable
upon every soil, and in every place
where any variety will grow, and with
good cultivation the crop is almost a.
certainty. Perhaps some Of my friends
who have new varieties to sell will
think l am treading upon their toes ;;
but l have patroniZed them SO literally
myself, that they must allow me to say
what has with me been literally true
in this respect. I have just finished
setting another experimental bed of
about half an acre. It has been care
fully prepared in all respects. It is
rich land, and would in an ordinary
season grow an immense crop of Will
sons. There are six varieties set upon
1t, having discarded two more after
three years trial. / do not know that
any of these new kinds will prove val
liable, but from year OF more Of eX-
perlence with some of them [ have a
little faith that they may be success.
But it they should all turn out such
complete failures as the many other
varieties that | have tried, there will
certainly be one very much Disguised
man in this community.
Years ago, during the rebellion, a.
friend of mine who was very strong
Union man, was one day denouncing
the "copperheads" in most bitter
CoIAlS. wv ny, SAID he, Il cannot see
one go along the street without want
ing to go out and throw clubs at
him." / fear that in case of failure
with this last trial, my disposition to-
wards the growers of new strawberry
plants will be but little if any better
than that of my old friend just men
toned. After all we must keep on
trying, discouraging as it seems to
be. TO stop would be in reality to 90
backward, and that will never do.
j. M. SMITH.
Green Bay, Wis.