The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1879-09-24

nf tbe berry from sand. and dirt during the
maturing and picking season. This sub
: iect well understood, and practically and
4 skilIfully managed, constitutes one OF the
. strong points in successful strawberry cul-
ture in this latitude.
The net profits of all agricultural pursuits,
being found in the relative costs of produc-
ton and prices obtained, if this great and
difficult problem of large strawberry
growers, can be satisfactorily solved, by
skillfully utilizing one of the great natural
productions of the soil, for mulching pur-
poses without materially damaging the
strength and growth of the plants and at
the same time save the labor to keep them
clean until the frosts with the further great
expense of gathering and applying foreign
or outside material for a much: then we
will have advanced far in reducing the cost
of producing a fine berry
| Older settings are treated much the same
as the recent, only the work will have to be
commenced some later, when the picking
season is over. In former years we often
deferred the working of the older until fall
or winter, but our experience has taught US
that it is better to work early as posi-
bic after the picking is is over, In order to
secure the fall growth of the grass
and guard against either too much growth
of both grass and weeds from too much
wet or the damaging effects of our hot and
sometimes very dry summers. In laying
by in this latitude, our beds should~be
sufficiently elevated to give good drainage
| Level culture will disappOint all who at
| tempt it in this latitude. The question Is
often asked, chow TO manage surplus
runners p We reply that from the varieties
best suited to this latitude, we rarely have
| a surplus, and that none of the varieties
give the great surplus that they give IN
more northern ATTITUDES. If more than are
needed for transplanting and other legiti-
mate uses, we would treat them as we do
/ the grass and other vines that get IN our
way.
After testing a long list of varieties, COW
ering the most apprOyedIof the old standards,
and those of the new and fancy held in the
! highest estimation, we should do violence
to the facts and TO our own convictions, if
We should fail TO give Wilson's Albany the
front place, and say, that as yet it has no
| equal or successful rival in this latitude, as
a market berry and successful shipper.
To bestOw unmeasured praise on the
I more recent and commonly termed fancy
! varieties, many Of which we are free to say,
are most charming and valuable acquisi-
| tons and pass Wilson by a careless remark
/ that sit is a good market variety, too well
/ known to need further notice." IS doing
cruel injustice TO this noble old king of
varieties, that has fought and won the bat
tie from Maine to California, from Wiscon-
sin to Florida, at once combining in itself
more that is desirable and valuable in berry
culture than all other known varieties, and
to-day stands as the deacon light" to lure
US on 10 the goal of success, and noble
daring in strawberry culture. Who would
dare, as we have this season, to incur the
expense of putting in good shape fifty acres,
As the basis for the coming crop, without
Wilson to inspire confidence and make us
feel as safe as with any regular staple of the
country? The universal reply of all large
growers for distant markets, would be,
none" Then let the public and particu
larly beginners in strawberry culture,
| beware of nurserymen and plant growers,
| who fail to keep this as a standing fact in
/ their public circulars and private CORES
pondence on this subject.
Next to Wilson, and much like it in
| many respects, comes Capt. Jack, at once
/ the most charming and beautiful berry We
| have ever seen in southern cultivation.
| With high culture, good mulching, on rich
| land (Which Wilson does not need, and
| which often endangers its health and
success,) Capt. Jack gives enormous crops
of larger and much finer looking berries
than Wilson, and no other berry we have
yet tested, stands up and holds its beauty
longer; its thickly set and golden tinted
seed cells, blending with the brilliant red,
give it rich and polished finish not seen
III any OIuCI fdllCGys VIC OCIlSNC IL 10
destined to rank high in southern culture,
being a strong hardy, vigorous grower,
roofing deeper and standing heat and
drought better than any other fancy variety
When planted in the fall or early winter
it gives larger crops the following spring
than any other variety known to US. Well
understood and skillfully managed it will,
we believe on a generous southern soil, be-
come "trump in the markets.
nf tho oNrtra la aOI hIuh Hayorad
varieties Monarch of the West and Cum
berland Triumph stand first, both being of
much larger average size and better flavor
than the Great American or any of the
other varieties so much lauded for extra
size and fine flavor. Both require the best
land and culture and give regular and
liberal crops the Monarch coming very
early, while the Cumberland brings in its
main crop later than any other we cultivate
Neither is suited for distant markets, but
both especially desirable for home use and
local markets. Crescent Seeding gives good
promise. but has not been fully tested
Sharpless not yet tested. Forest Rose,
Duchesse, President Lincoln, Great Amer
lean, Kerr's Late Prolific, Pioneer, Essex
! Beauty and Great Austin Shaker all have
some positive merits, but none peculiar to
/ themselves not fully and more than covered
I by the four leading varieties above described
/ They Will be found in our price list, and
we will be able to furnish them and many
/ other varieties to such as wish to test them
! in their own localities, but we cannot
/ conscientiously, and will not knowingly
recommend, for southern culture, any
variety that has no positive mer-
its, peculiarly its own. 1t is better
for the beginner to confine himself to a few
ofthe safe and well tested varieties, after
wards cautiously testing others claiming
merit. One of the gravest errors of the
Southern fruit grower, is found in his dis
/ position to have and grow a large number
of varieties for the sake of variety. North
ern and Western growers have learned to
centre on a few well-tested leading varieties
I in all departments of fruit culture, eau
tiously testing the new varieties claiming
superior merit. The sooner the Southern
grower learns this most valuable lesson, and
ignores the ''tree and plant peddlers," with
their over-wrought pictures and over-grown
samples produced by artificial stimulation,
of new and wonderful varieties, ''only
grown pure by their nursery" the better it
will be for their success. The question is
often asked, "do you fertilize ~ We reply
that we use fertilizers with great caution
and very sparingly, for the reason that it is
more difficult to hold good stands on very
rich land, or by their use; and that fruit
grown on good medium or even thin land |
has more solidity, stronger color and will
carry longer than tnat prouuced by strong /
stimulation. Many say eve would grow
berries, but our plants die out" Rich |
garden land, over stimulation, lack of deep
culture, cause this failure. No other fruit |
so easily and quickly grown, is so definitely
certain in its regular crop results.
We, who have grown it altogether about |
ten years, without single failure are at a
loss to understand, why any Southern fam
lily would willingly be without such health |
full luxury, that can be so easily cheaplv |
and certainly produced. Five hundred to
one thousand plants, set out in October or
November will give an ordinary sized fam
ilH q n.nnd snror.lxr the fnlln1rincr sr,rir,c Io