The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-10-19
HORTICULTURE
SMALL FRUITS.

BY GEO w CARGILL.
Mr. President, Ladies' and Gentlemen:
Ihave been requested to contribute
for the edifcation of the people attend
ing this institute, an article on small
fruits, and while the effort might have
been made by some one who, with
larger or experience would have better
entertained you, I will from my stand
point, tell you how little l know on the
subject. Why is it that 30 few Of our
farmers have q home supply of straw
berries, raspberries, currants, goose
berries, dewberries or blackberriee,
when they are all SO easily grown and
each in it's season adds 50 much to the
daily bill of fsre9 The only way I can
account for it, is, it is too small a bust
meas to engage the attention of the
farmer who herds his focks upon a
thousand hills, and is content TO feed
his family upon bread and meat and
COTE 365 days in the year, and thinks
our luscious small fruits may DO good
enough diet for women and children
but not strong enough for men. But
all this aside, who Is there, be it man,
woman or child, that does not love the
sight, smell and taste of q generous
dish Of Strawberries smothered in
cream, or Of luscious red raspberries
with a proper accompaniment of white
sugRr9 If such an one exists I feel sorry
aud am sure there must be something
radically wrong in his makeup. It has
been said, God might have made a
better berry than the strawberry, but
he did not" / do not know who is the
author of this sentiment, but if I did
and should meet him, I should feel like
taking him by the hand and say:
''Them's my sentiments too" I am dis
posed to think the great reason most
people do not grow berries is because
they are led to believe, there is some
particular skill required to attain even
fair success, or that some particular
quality is r quired In the soil. Right
here let me say, any soil that will raise
wheat or corn will raise berries. OF
course the better the soil the better Der
ries you will have, but NJ matter how
good your coil may be you must wage
relentless wal on the weeds and every
thing that makes lis appearance in
your berry field, except the berry
plants must be treated a. a weed. Der
ries, especially straw berries, are very
impatient of shade and will not give
satisfactory results il planted with
trees, they must have the entire ground
and when this is given them with clean
culture, it requires no prophet to pre-.
dict what the harvest will be. l would
warn the beginner against too much
enthusiasm Let your first planting
be on a very modest scale, not over
one fourth of an acre, bstter an eighth
if it ia Strawberries, for a beginning.
This will be enough for you TO expert
ment with and find If the business sui g
you and you suit the business. There
is much TO look after, al you must find
your market, crates and baskets must
be had, pickers must be secured, and
the details Of the business must be Care
taily attended TO if you expect to suc-
ceed. And now g void about growing
O field of Strawberries: FIRST Of ali.
selecG your land, if it be ON our hills,
with an east, southeast exposure, then
let the preparation be Through and
complete. If it is new land, and I like
it best as being free from weeds, give
is three good ploughings with a jump
ing shovel plough, following each
ploughing with the harrow, picking up
and hauling off the roots and loose
stones, as early in April as your ground
can be worked, having secured your
plants from the nearest reliable source.
lay of your rows with a shovel plow,,
three and a half feet apart. and set the
plants from fifteen to eighteen inches
apart in the row. Do not set, if it can
be avoided, On a windy day, and ex.
pose the roots as little as possible to
the sun. Geg1n cultivating as soon
after the first rain as the ground will
do to work and keep the ground we'll
stirred until September. Fight the
weeds; as sOOd as the ground 10 frozen,
so that it will bear up your team, give
your berries a good muIching. For
this purpose use straw, forest leaves.
OF any coarse litter that may be at
hend. If straw is used apply it at the
rate of about one ton to the acre. The