Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1901-02-08

DeWberrv Culture.

The following article from the c
pen of James B. Gilchrist gives '
his experience with the Lucretia ,
Dewberry, and it varies but little 5
from that of other successful grow
ers. Our personal experience has
been that this variety of fruit pro !
duces better results on posts for
each hill, and from Mr.. Gilchrist's .
table Of cost, the method is no more
expensive than that of wire From
recent observation of fields near
Bridgeville set to this berry, and
opinions expressed by careful
growers, the Lucretia is not so
long lived, or as permanent as Ell
Their the Early Harvest, or even
the Wilson Blackberry. In other
words the acreage should be reset
every four or five years. OF this
we can not speak for a certainty,
but thoroughly agree with Mr..
Gilchrist, that the Lecture is now
/ is now the most promising berry
for a careful grower. The ca: eless
man has no business to attempt
small fruit cultur, Mr. Gilchrist's
article as printed in the News
last week is as follows
My experience with this berry
commenced in 1895, when 10 plants
were set 3 ZEE apart in row across
the garden, In the spring OF 1896
posts were set ~ feet high and
two rods apa t, the end ones being
/ securely braced. A wire was
stretched tight on top and fastened
to each post with a staple. Each
hill was thinned to not more than
six branches, spread fan-shape,
tied to the wire, and cut off about
, two inches above. The berries
. ripened with the Early Harvest,
I were as large as Wilson's Early,
: fairly firm, and of best quality.
r With like cultivation and manage
ment, the crops were about the
same in the following years, yield
: ing at the rate of about $500
q quarts per acre.
S In the spring of 1897, "a Of an
0 acre was set in rows feet aIar
;, z feet in the row. The following
>, spring posts were set feet. 3 in
=. ches high and wired as in the gar
i den row. As a days work was re-
e ouired to trim out old wood, thin
i thin and tie the garden row, a more
e expeditions method was adopted
e Each hill was divided without
s thinning, and one half was wrap
IS ped around the wire two or three
Up times and cut off about a foot from
a the next hill. Then half of The
70 next hill was turned back anC
n wrapped around these, and cut of
IL about the same length, and fasten
ID ed in the centre with a piece O
g, fine wrapping wire. Through thi
IN method of wiring" required les
ly than one-third the labor Of tn
u, u other, it proved very unsatisfactor,
in While the quantity OF fruit harves
at ted was fairly good, the size an
ne quality were very poor. All tn
berries had a withered look, an
from 4 to 8 dried up APPARENT
on the vines.
we In the fall Of 1897, I p acres ad
MS l' joining were set from plants grow
, nd on the "a acre, rows 7 feet apart
m 81 feet in row. The posts of ever
of eighth row were set IS inches higf
tn so that a wagon could be drive
he astride, to gather brush and sprea
ter ure. The rest were set 2 feet ihig
use and all wired as before.
..Ii Still another method was trie
md ne, in putting the plant on the wire
in in 1899 Each branch was take
1sb up separately, cut off about fol
,an feet long and twisted around Il
ags wire two or three times. Not mo,
his than six were allowed to q hill
oSe unless there was a vacancy or POI
ent hin adjoining AS in the gardt
me me row, one half was turned one VIZ
. io and the other half in the opposi
Of direction and fastened by a sing
of wire i'll the centre, care being tax,
,mo to spread out the branches viii
SO placing them on the wire:
ton The same method was follow
zen in 1901 This plan required
much labor to trim and place
the wires as the garden row, b
-. only one-sixth the time and mat,
49, ial to tie them. The results we
tho equally satisfactory. From 2
= ror acres, $3.50 Quarts were picked
,on 1899, and WaTts in I9C
a =, Being an a 1000 a
and 5000 qiOS SAs.> ~espf