The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-02-21

do this one must possess q natural
aptitude for the business and work,
that to say one must have a love
for nature and also be filled with in
tense interest and enthusiasm which
creates the necessary incentive.
Much OF the work connected with
the business of growing and market-
ing a superior crop of small fruits. is
exacting and puttering in its nature,
requiring q great deal of knee and
finger drill. Lack OF interest and en-
thusiasm combined with Il disiast for
this sort Of work, constitutes a poten-
tial cause for failure. and Indifferent
success in fruit growing.
One may be qualified to deal with
the problems and work connected with
general farming, mo still come short
of that required in small fruit
growing.
There are certain laws now more or
less perfectly understood which must
be cOnfOrmcd to, in our operations
connected with soil and plant culture.
if we are to obtain maximum rewards
for labor bestowed.
That is to say. knowledge. skillfully
applied brings its own reward.
Now, it may appear to the casual
and u~ninfOrmed observer, that hus-
bandry is a simply occupation re-
curing little or no education or skill,
when in fact the business has to do
I Ii1A ~aN civ o1tA& TX
processes IN both soil and plant life.
and, while it may be possible TO win
q degree Of success without q knOW1-
edge OF these processes and laws
governing these life forces i'll nature,
much more certain and substantial
success and more uniform results may
be had through the possession Of this
knowledge.
The occupation OF fruit growing is
8 more complicated business even
than general farming, for there are
a greater number Of problems to
master.
The sunshine and rain falls on all
alike. This statement is to be taken
in a general way.
Certain sections of the country have
scant rainfall. while other sections
have plenty and to spare. Sections OF
the country may pass through a severe
end protracted drouth II season and
be subject to the other extreme the
next, but such conditions are con-
trolled by fixed laws of nature ana
have nothing whatever to do with
chancc or luck.
Now. conditions III the laws OF
nature which determine precipitation
may vary with the seasonal changes,
but those laws which determine sou
production never.
II a certain soil responds more
literally to our efforts than another,
III LIE NC >NNC
difference in productivity, and the
cause will usually be found to be
under the control Of human agencies
If a piece of land is low and sub
ject to flooding. then it must be
drained to place it on an equal footing
with land having natural drainage.
II the soil is in a condition Of acidity
(sour>, made so by standing water or
because Of conditions brought about
by wrong handling, then these abb
60, on1,rf he on ~ aTf M
Il uniformity in maximum results is
the end sought.
Tor, upon ~congeniality IN soil con-
ditions depends activity III sol, NE,
which i'll turn determines the degree
OF -prOductiveneSS in soils.
Some localities, or their
situation, are much subject to late
spring frosts. The growing OF straw
berries under such conditions is a pre-
CariouS business.
Il is folly to expect uniform maxi
mum results where natural conditions
are so adverse TO their successful cul-
ture.
If one wishes to make q sure thing
Of success and make good money
growing small fruits, the first thing
that should be done is to make Il close
study Of these problems Of local at
fnospheric conditions and climatic
changes. and OF the laws determining
soil activities, n then apply the
knowledge thus acquired TO the case
in hand.
Because Of air drainage thus at
foried higher lying lands should be
given the preference. Proximity TO
bodies Of water mitigate the evils re-
suiting from frost. preventing often
the lowering of the temperature TO
the frost point.
The question Of soil activities is a
much more intricate III cOmpGcSt d
problem. Activity in soil life is in
f1uenced and determined largely by
following named agencies and factors.
SOL drainage. soil aeration. hurlus
Content and tillage. Without going
into the details, we can only say that
in order TO give best results a soil
should be sufficiently drained. either