The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-04-15
The HAsKIN LETTER.
Concerning Straw erriies
By Fre . ]. > !. Has<tn.

n Concerning ! \ !:
4 1 By Frederls.
Strawberries. strawberries, red
ripe strawberries!,'i is street cry that
I heralds the advent of spring in most
eastern American cities. The street
hawkers' wares are boxes Of berries
which have come up from the South.
been displayed In the best markets at
high prices, and then. after becoming
somewhat passe, are sold or to the
hawker#at a fraction Of their cost He
Will pick them over, deity selecting
the sound berries anG discarding the
others, and have them upon the
street at an early hour, crying them
out loudly. SO that the housewife may
| have an opportunity to make straw
berry short cake at least month
earlier than if she waited for the
home grown fruit, and vet she will
not have to pay a fancy price.
The first good domestic variety Of
strawberry produced in the United
States was raised in 1897 by c. NJ
Hovey Of Boston, although before tina t
the wild fruit had become popular in
this country Today at least 5000
distinct varieties of strawberry are
produced in this country. Strawberry
cultivation has increased tremen-
dously and is growing each year,
more and more acreage being devoted
to the production Of this luscious red
fruit.
The estimated strawberry crop this
season will amount to fully 800 .O00.-
1000 quarts which will closely approx
innate $25s0OO.O0O in value. Accord
ing to the last census. the strawberry
acreage Of the country Is 151,363
acres. but this has been greatly In
creased, especially in Louisiana, Ar
kansas and Texas. where it has doub-
led in many localities within the last
three years. The shipments Of Flori-
da strawberries begin .early in Janu-
Iary- They are put up in small pint.
boxes and retail at fifty cents a pint,
although in some exceptional cases a
dollar a pint has been received for
selected, perfect berries.
The Florida strawberries are upon
the market until March. BY that
by berries from Louisiana, Alabama
and the Carolinas The North Caro-
lima berries are an important feature
Of the national crop. From one town
alone in North Carolina have been
shipped 2 400 carloads of 500 crates
to the car. Each crate contains SO
quarts of berries, which, at ten cents
a quart. a fair price for early fruit,
means large amount of money from
a short-season crop.
Little by little strawberry growers
are extending the season. so that
within a.feW years it will be possible
for the devotees of this crimson deli
sscacy to obtain it every month in the
year in their home city. rather than.
follow its course from southern Flori-
Ida to the coast Of labrador as a New
ork yachtman and his family had the
habit of doing a few years ago. The
Improved transportation facilities. as
we'll as the increased cultivation Of
the fruit, makes it possible to secure
| January until late In August.
The August berries come from
Maine and the northern part OF the
New England states. The possibili-
ties Of increasing the cultivation Of
Strawberries from these northern
states for the late summer trade are
only beginning to be recognized. This
| trade will dou btless become CONNER
cially important within a few years.
After the crop from these centers has
been exhausted, the strawb berry lover
may look for the fall strawberry.sThis
| is a new development, not yet of com
lmercial importance, but likely to be-
come SO. The fall straw berry is being
produced by removing the buds and
blossoms from the plants, in the
spring, with the result that they
bloom second time IN late summer.
The first fall strawberry was exhibit
ed at the Buffalo exposition In 1900.
Since then, many growers have been
experimenting with 1t, and each year
a. few Of these berries are sent to the
larger cities, usually about the middle
tof Septem Der.
/! In the irrigated districts OF the
Southwest. strawberries may be pro-
lduced practically throughout the year
This is achieved by special methods
lof irrigation. Around Los Angeles, a
icrop will be brought forward In the
early spring. and then the plants will
I.he permitted " to rest for several
months. during which time they are
tscantlly supplied with water. The
preparation for the next crop consists
lin liberal irrigation. together with
icultivation and fertilization The Ore
4 gon "oyer-bearing e. variety has given
some phenomenal crop records IN a
number Of irrigated states. Native
Mexican berries have also been intro
Educed with good results IN California
and Arizona. .g
At present no strawberries are
brought across the con tinent. The
Strawberries for the eastern cities arc
all produced east OF the one hun
tdredth meridian. It is claimed that
the cost of shipment will never make
| it profitable to attempt to sell western
berries in the East, Notwithstanding
the fact that certain epicures claim
the western berry has peculiar IA
lvor, distinctly different from that of
! the eastern fruit.