The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-05-05
HORTICULTURE
SMALL FRUITS ON THE FARM


from the time the fret strawberries ap-
pear until the Concord grape is gone:
First, the high price asked by many
dealers; second, the prevalent opinion
that setting and caring for fruit is my s.
terlous business; third, the thought
that 1t will be many years, Or a short
lifetime, before any fruit is obtained. I
believe we are mistaken in all three
reasons. Plants are quite cheap if we
go to the right place to buy them. Set
ting IS no mystery, and any farmer can
90 1t. Instead Of having to wait long
time for returns, some SIN Ill fruits will
bear III one yeer. How many farmers
have strawberry bed which will ield
berries enough for home use for two
weeks, and plenty TO can?
Any land which will raise corn will
raise Strawberries. Plow up a strip 10
rods long and one rcd wide. Put
1t IN good condition, and with a small
plow ley off three rows the entire
length OF the strip. Send to one ofYour
reliable nursery men and get 800 plants
Select 100 Crescents, 100 Bubachs, and
100 Captain Jacks These varieties are
quoted at 81 per hundred, or 50 to IS
per thousand. II over hundred are
ordered, the plants are secured at the
thousand rates. Put one hundred
plants IN row, sp eeding the roots out
we'll, and pressing the earth firmly
about them. Ten days after they axe
set, cultivate Ehem with a two horse
cultivator, and continue this every
week for eight weeks. You may have
to go over the patch onco or twice with
a hoe, nd be sure to pick eff all the
buds and f)wer stems, for it will not
do to let them fruit the first season. In
the fall cover with rye straw, and in
the apring rake the straw between the
rows, and my word for it, you will
have all the berries farmers family
can eat, at a cost of less than three
cents per quart.
CuTrants and gooseberries can be
raised as easily as corn. have tried
=, ne six or eight varieties Of curraDts,
and find the Red Dutch the only kind
which gives a good crop every year.
would plant 80 two year old RED Dutch,
and 10 two year old White Dutch. Set
in one long row, end cultivate as you
would corn. The second year from
planting, a fair crop will be obtained.
Mulch well in summer. They will
then retain the leaves, which protect
the fruit and give it g chance to get
well ripened. Plant 100 goose6erries
in q row, eelec5ing so Hough5on and
so Owning. If we'll cultivated, they
will give half crop the first year after
planting, Rad Dutch currants can be
had for three cents a piece, and goose
berries five to eight cents With lit
tie trimming each spring, 100 goose
berries and 100 currants will be all one
family can use, with some to sell.
Grapes can be produced at less than
a cent a pound. Put out two rows in
some lot or field near by, 50 vines in
each row, six feet apart in the row, ard
the rows eight to ten feet apart. Buy
% Moore's Early at cents apiece, 80
Worden at cents apiece, and SO Con
cord at cents apiece. You can hardly
make mistake if you buy all Con
cords, but the Moore's Early comes
first, then the Worden fills il the space
between the carly grapes and the Con
cords, and you will have grapes for six
weeks. As support, set good oak posts,
and attach to them three good wires
Sometime in February, cut back the
new growth to four or six buds, pIow
and cultivate well.
The best and cheapest fruit Of all is
the Early Richmond cherry. The trees
are cheap and they will grow and bear
we'll with but little care. The fruit
sells readily if more is produc d than
is desired for home use. Good trees
four to six feet high can be had at large
nurseries for SO to $12 per hundred. If
you have only six or eight bearing
trees, the birds and boys will annoy
you 90 much that you will have to pick
them before they are ripe. But get so
trees, set them along the garden fence
and in some fence corner where nothing
but weeds have been growing for years
We do not realize that every square
rod of land on our farm has eight or
ten tons of choice soil capable of rails
ing fine cherry tree. Look around
your farm, and see how many square
rods are going to waste which might
grow a cherry, a peach, or plum tree.