Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-10-30
EXPERIMENTS IN THE GROWING
OF STRAWBERRIES.
Results OF the Experiments at the
State Station in the Cultivation
of Different Varieties OF
Strawberries-PrO-
lfficness, Etc.

II we separate varieties OF strawber-
ries into two classes, viz: those that
continue long time In hearing, and
those that have a short season, we find
that the most prolific fall into the first
class, while those that give short crops
continue but short time in bearing.
In other words, those that give the
greatest number Of pickings during the
season, produce the largest crops. 1t
might seem that the aggregate crop
would depend as much, or more, upon
the quantity Of fruit ripe at each pick
ing, as upon the number of pickings.
1t would also seem that the varieties
that ripen slowly and continue long
time In beariHg would be in more dam
ger of dry weather than those that
yield their crop in short time, but
such does not appear to be the fact.
IL is commonly remarked by grow
ers that when the strawberry season is
long the crop Is greater then when the
time of ripening extends over a short
period. To cut off two or three pick
ings is to reduce the crop by about that
that quantity. The same Is essentially
true of varieties. A variety that gives
three pickings during the season will
yield about half as much ss one that
gives six. This ratio may not be exact,
but such a relation between the length
total product exists. All things con-
sidered, the long season varieties are
surer, and more profitable, than those
that continue but a short time in bear
ing.
EARLY AND LATE, COMPARED WITH
MEDIUM VARIETIES.
Nearly all of the very early varieties
continue but short time in bearing,
yield but few pickings and give short
crops. The same is true, In more
marked degree, ofthe extreme late sorts.
They commence to ripen late, but hold
out little, If any longer, than the medi-
um varieties. The second early, or me-
dunn varieties, usually give more pick
ings during the season, continue longer
in bearing, than the extreme early and
late sorts, hence give a greater total
yield.
PERFECT FLowERED, COMPARED WITH
IMPERFECT VARIETIES.
Those varieties of strawberries that
produce pollen and berries also, are at a
disadvantage as compared with those
that produce berries only. Division of
labor counts here as elsewhere. Give
plant nothing to do but to grow and
bear fruit and the work will he better
done than ifa additional task is inn
posed. To produce pollen taxes the
plant much more than is commonly
supposed. Many growers think it
would be desirable to have varieties
with perfect blossoms only to save the
trouble of planting the two classes.
Theory disproves this plan, and care
full observations show that, in general,
the most prolific sorts are those that
have imperfect flowers.
There is more truth in the above now
than there was generation ago, when
the Wilson was In its prime.
1t should be understood that these
statements refer to the leading varieties
that are most generally grown. There
are some apparent exceptions even with
these, and still more If all known var
ieties are included. Concerning the
varieties that are worth considering,
the general statements made above will
hold good. These generaliZations are
not only useful in determining the val
ue of varieties in comparatively short
time, put may also serve as guides in
future work. Much valuable time has
been lost because these principles have
been ignored.