The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1888-02-25
Notes for February.

We do not wish TO discourage beginners
IN small fruit growing or say anything
which will prevent any who are so inclined
from starting small fruit plot. On the
contrary, We wish to impress il upon the
minds of all our readers, that success in
| this line is easily within their reach. But
we also wish to say with equal emphasis,
that the beginner should read about his
business and be able to enter it with some
legree of intelligence.
1t is an indisputable fact that the man
who knows most about his work will, if he
attends TO it, be the most successful 1t is
equally true that il is great deal cheaper
Tor him to learn from the recorded expert
ance of others, than it is to secure the in
formation by his own efforts in the field.
ii truit is grown for sale, it is manifestly
,or the interest of the grower to get as large
1 crop as possible, while if il is grown foi
family use, it is Il pleasure and an encour-
tgement to obtain a good yield. A good
crop will not only save the expense of buy
ing fruit during the season, but will stimu-
aLe the grower to put forth efforts to which
may give a still higher degree of success in
future operations.
One of the perpleXing points for the
farmer who wishes to grow small fru.s
merely for home use, is to determine how
many plants to set. While only an approxi-
mate estimate can be made, we would, for
an ordinary family, set at least four hun
dred strawberry plants, and fifty each OF
the black and red raspberry and black berry.
After the first season, during which very
little fruit should be expec ed or be allowed
TO grow if ii sets these plants should, if on
good land and well cared for, yield liberal
supply Of fruit from the time Of the earliest
strawberries until grapes and the larger
ruits are abundant. Probably in a ma
jority of cases this number OF plants would
yield quite surplus of fruit for canning.
The area of ground requipd will vary from
twelve to twenty rods according to the dis
.ance apart at which the giants are set, and
ohe varieties which are grown, though they
can be made to occupy considerable less
space if it Is necessary to closely economize
and.
The small plot which is designed to sup
ply the family with berries in their season
,hOuld be long and narrow and the rows
should be far enough apart to admit of cul-
.iyatiOn. with horse. This will greatly
tighten the labor of caring for the plants
Ii set in this manner there will not be halt
he danger that they will be neglected, as
here would if they are put in short rows
md close together. This fact mulUitudes oI
Lrmers and amateur fruit growers hay,
earned by costly and laborious experience
And if weeds get started it is but little worl
% destroy them by horse power compare,
.th hat " h ch qured if only hand IN
Jlement can be used. 1t is also importan
have the rows perfectly straight. Thu
vii allow close cultivation, save a grea
zeal of hand work, and give the berry patel
neat appearance.
During this month an examination of tn,
mall fruit catalogues should be made 5,
hat decision can be reached as to what il
; wanted, and orders can be sent in season /,
NNulN lipiilb1 ltLSiltlOlls II 10 upL wen "
De too eager secure new sorts, but it i
O qualll unwise to retain old varieties mere
because they were once popular lido
not by any means follow that variet'
nee at theahead will remain there. Man,
kinds which were once largely grown Law
sen scarded, aud some which are nov
popular will ere long give place TO still
more popular sorts. While some kind
ucceed over so wide an area. and in sucl
diversity of soils, that a practical test il
ones own vicinity is the only sure melho,
Of determining whether they will be prot
lUle, Others have much more lmit,t
range and in certain sections are rs
worthy of a trial. Upon Iuis and 9th
Important points a great deal can be learn
ed from catalogues and from horticulture
hooks and papers.