The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1880-02-21


cutting off all runners before they
root any plants, and thus giving the
whole strength of the root to the orlgl-
nal plant or chilli 1t is sAid and we
believe there is much truth in it, that
for every runner cut offbe fore it forms
a plant, a fruit germ will be formed.
We have watched with much interest,
a plant that was kept free from rum
ners, and have noticed the rapid
spreading or "stooling" out OF the
original plant, and the increase of its
leaf stalks, foliage and fruit-crowns or
embryo buds. As to.the expense OF
keeping off the runners, we doubt II 1t
is as much or at least any more than
so much finger work as is required to
keep matted plants clean. Second.
The "matted rows" or 'matted bed'
plan, is simply to allow all runners to
set plants, and to do this properly the
cultivator should be run through the
beds or rows quite often, so as to throw
the first runners as straight along the
original rows as possible, and when
hoed over if too many runners are
running ou3 in one direction and not
enough in the other, turn share OF
them in the opposite direction and
fasten them there by throwing earth
over them. AS the row fills up with
plants, run the cultivator further
away from the rows, and gradually
the plants will form wider matted
rows, and when twelve to fifteen
inches wide then keep cultivator 60
ing through them clear up to plants
and not allow them to mat out any
wider for fruiting purposes, as we be
lieve wider rows than this yield
smaller and less fruit, especially in
times of drouth. And now having
given the plan for growing both ways,
we will give our views as 10 the rel
ative cost of cultivation In the hill
plan the plants may be set nearer
than in the matted row plan, that Is,
Just as you can drive through with a
horse. If you have Il small-footed,
small horse well trained to keep in
the row, land any horse can soon be
trained by kind, gentle treatment, and
by having a small boy or girl ride
them a few bouts. The rows need
not be more than two to two and one
half feet apart, and the plants twelve
to fifteen inches apart in the'roW at
this distance it will require $4,000 to
-, 900 plants to the acre or three feet
by one, II, 600 to the acre. If grown
in the matted row, rows should be
three and one-half to four feet apart,
and plants twelve to fifteen inches
apart, requiring about 1900 to the
acre. So first you have the difference.
in cost ofplants and expense of setting
AS to tile expense of culture and
work: if clean cultivation is gwen
there will be but little difference if the
soil is not too foul and weedy; but if
so, then the most real hard work ito
keep them cleanl will have to be laid
out on matted rows, understand US, If
kept clean, but if "slipshOd" cultiya-
ton is carried out, and the chill"
plants are kept free from runners,
then the most work will have to be
put on the hill bed.
Where a person has but little land
md is after the most, and largest and
inest fruit, to supply a market that
appreciates the best fruit, and will pay
better prices for it, our advice is chill"
culture; but where there is but little
Inference if any, made between first |
md second-class fruit, and one has
plenty of land, with plenty of house
lelp and hands scarce and hard to |
ret, and new plantations can be put |
n different places each Spring, and
winters are open and severe, grow by !
he matted row plan. The hill plan
,racticed as we have described, will |
yield double the amount of
ruit to the acre that can be grown by |
he matted row system. If grown in
hills" where there is but little snow,
r on land that beaves badly, they
must be heavily mulched when win
er sets in. Again, while all varieties
re have ever tried will do well, yes
etter, grown in "stools,n there are
Dme kinds that will not yield well
rown i'm matted rows, as for Instance,
he Triumph de Grand, lucinda,
iolden Queen or TrollOpe's Victoria.
We believe, if, as a rule, the largest
'uit, the finest fruit, and the best
init as also the largest cops from a
ivcn space of ground, are wanted
ON the strawberry or red rasbcrry,
ley must be grown in hills, and we
elieve the time is coming when fruit
rown for mango the markets where
ne best is appreciated and paid for,
nat they must be grown in hills and
cavity mulched, both through win .
r to protect from frost, and through
1mmer to protect from drOuth and
rt. five can give any further in
we are at your service
ruit Recorder.