The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-01-31
"a POUND OF BERRIES"
But Tons of Them to the Acre. Noun
tain Streams and Showers Mon
etiZed.

AS many of our readers have
eaten berries from Mount Pomona,
as Sweet & Shackleford call their
Swanton place, we continue the
article from the Rural NeaU Yorker
this week. Many others would
like to raise their own berries. To
such we would say save these arti-
Giles and they will make all plain
and you can have all the fine berries
you want. If not plain enough,
question Sweet & Shackleford, Mt.
Lake Park, and they will answer
through The REPUBLICAN.
PART II.
The picturesque site chosen for
this farm was certainly not an ideal
one for the lovers of an easily titled
berry field; but, though selected
more from necessity than choice,
many circumstances were found to
| be in its favor. 1t is surrounded
by an immense. mining and lumber
fling population. 1t is also near
Deer Park, Oakland and Mountain
Lake Park-centers of summering
on the Alleghenies. But best of
all, while Cumberland and Pied
mont are actually but a few miles,
and Washington but six hours dis
tant, climatically considered, they
are some 200 miles southwark, thus
making a good market for a late
berry.
Though most of the new sorts
are carefully tested and many grown
to supply the plant trade, it can be
seen from the above that we are
most interested in a late berry.
Parker Earle was secured from the
introducer in 1888, and at first it
was thought would supplant Haver-
land and Warfeld. 1t is of good
quality, a fine shipper and of fair
size. On the other hand, it was
the most injured of any by the
freeze Of May goth, and sets more
fruit than it can perfect, though it
natures large crop, To remedy
this defect it is being tried on irri-
gated ground and with stable ma
nure. Sharpless, Candy and Blu
bach are not very productive here,
and Timbrell may have the same
fault. Jessie, Cumberland and
Parker Earle, mixed, in every
| fourth row make good fertilizers.
Setting is done just as early in
spring as possible, generally in
April. The plants are taken up
|
with big ball Of earth to each,
carted to the field in bushel boxes,
and hardly know that they have
changed quarters, for the bloom
has to be picked three and foul
times. From beginning to end.
little attempt is made to cheaper
the product, size being the alpha
and quantity the omega. Pedigree
has much to do with these results
for years of carefully selecting the
best plants and never using runners
from those which have borne ;
crop, give both in a remarkabl,
degree when they once get chanc,
to bear.
Most growers precede strawberrie
with some hoed crop to clean tn
ground. In the system originated
here, no crop is better for this pur
pose than strawberries themselve
as a bushel of weeds could no
be found on an acre. In the dia
gram, q q q indicates the origina
plants. The center rows are set L
inches apart, the others IS, and al
! 30 apart in the row, making abou
$4,000 plants to the acre. Frequen
hoeings have conquered all weed
by July, when the placing of run
ners at b b commences. Afte
each plant has made three sets, al
Others are pulled off, and tn
ground carefully stirred till fall
If manure be lacking, swale hay i
used for mulch. Nothing is don
with them the following spring bu
t to go over the field and cut out an
t sorrel that may have appeared.
: After the crop is gathered, the