The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1880-12-18
Ghe SarmeT.
Growing Small Fruits.


To be successful ia fruit-growing il is
best to cultivate the different varieties,
commencing with the strawberry, which
ripens in June, the raspberry in July, the
blackberry in August, along with the early
peaches and pears, to be followed by grapes,
peaches, pears and apples during Septem.
Der and October. closing up the season
with winter apples The same crates aud
boxes answer for all kinds of berries. |
use the same baskets for grapes, peaches,
pears and apples. By this plan you also
have plenty Of work for your men, who can
be hired at less wages for the whole season
than for month or so, and eau keep your
teams at work and also hold your custom
ers.
Strawberries plant in rows four feet
apart, aud one apart in the row, using the
cultiyator and hand.hoe to keep them free
from weeds aud grass, aud nulching them
in the fall with sawdast, spent tan-bark or
straw, whichever Is most convenient. In
early spring remove the mulch sufficient
y to permit the plants to come through it
readily. | have not tested many of the
new varieties very thoroughly The Cres-
cent Seeding is the most thrifty grower
have ever seen. The vines cover the
ground like mat, smothering out small
weeds and grass almost entirely. From
small plot Of ground, the tenth Of an acre,
picked of that variety forty-seYen and
one-half bushels, or at the rate Of four hun
dred and sexenty.tiTe bushels TO the acre,
while the Wilson, growing in the same
field with the same culture, yielded about
one-half that amount The Crescent is
bright scarlet COLOR little larger than the
Wilson, and the berry is irm, aud carries
well 10 market. Tho Wilson has been our
principal berry, but shall discard il and
plant the Crescent instead.
Raspberries should be planted ia rows
eight feet apart, aud the plants two feet
apart in the row. 1t win form hedge
the second year, the canes supporting each
other against wind-storins. Give them
good cultivation, keep free from weeds and
grass, mulch heavily with coarse manure
or straw, pinch the canes off wheu two or
three feet high, aud you may be assured
Of good crops for number Of years. The
Mammoth Cluster is our principal berry.
1 have discarded the Thornless, as the
bushes generally blighted when the berries
were about halt grown. The Doolittle is
great bearer, hnt the small size Of its
fruit is an objection Among the reds, the
Highland Hardy has given me the most
satisfaction. Il always bears a heavy crop
Of fairs sized berries and ripens Just before
Strawberries are through, enabling us to
Make out our loads with a part Of each.
The Philadelphia, Franconia, aud Hers.
tine are great bearers Of large berries, but
very soft for market. The Brandywine.
The market red berry for Delaware and
New Jersey, has never borne well with
me.
The blackberry should be planted 10
rows at least eli sht feet apart. and two feet
apart in the row. Give them the same
treatment as the raspberry. The Snyder is
most wonderful bearer, and ripens as the
Mammoth Cluster raspberry begins to fail.
1t i not as large as the Kitiatinuy, Law
tou or Wilson, bat much more relisble in
this latitude.