SOCIETY OF NOKTHERN ILLINOIS. 257 



species of fruit, for a knowledge of the best conditions for, and 

 modes of its culture, and of the varieties best to grow for distant 

 markets, and for the grower's own use. 



All these subjects have been so thoroughly canvassed as to 

 leave little to be said. Before making a plantation of strawberries, 

 I would advise the novice to procure at least, twenty-five or fif^ 

 plants of, at least, a dozen sorts to test upon his grounds. Grow 

 young plants from the half of each kind and fruit on the other 

 remaining half. Those that are to grow fruit should have all the 

 runners kept off. After two or three have set from each plant, 

 first set the plants twelve to fifteen inches apart, which are to be 

 kept for fruiting, and those for growing plants tnay be set apart in 

 the row and the rows may be three and a-half feet apart; the ground 

 should be prepared the fall previous to the setting of plants. Cover 

 the ground well with manure from the pig-pen before plowing. 

 Plow the ground from six to eight inches deep. A light sprinkling 

 of well-rotted manure, mixed with ashes, applied in early spring 

 before the ground is harrowed, and prepared by harrowing with a 

 sharp-tooth harrow and then rolled or planked, puts the soil in fine 

 condition for the plants to grow. Cultivate and keep all weeds and 

 grass down the first season after planting. 



I have always insisted and must repeat, that success with any 

 variety depends more upon the preparation of the soil previous to 

 the planting than upon all others combined. Then if good cultiva- 

 tion is given, if the soil has been previously well prepared, almost 

 any variety will do well the next year after setting. I have had an 

 experimental lot for the last four seasons, and have had thirty-five 

 varieties in it and they all did well. My rows were only two feet 

 apart. I had pistillate and staminate varieties in alternate rows. 

 Strawberries planted in that way fail to produce buttons unless they 

 are hurt or partly killed by frost. 



I think frost in time of flowering has much to do in producing 

 buttons. If we want the finest and best fruits, we must keep the 

 plants in hills and keep ofE all runners. Mulch well in the fall be- 

 fore hard freezing comes on. Tt is a good plan to keep the plants 

 in narrow rows and set every third row to stamen varieties, such as 

 Captain Jack, Cumberland Triumph, Bidwell, Miner, Kentucky, Mt. 

 Vernon or Night-Superb as fertilizers, when growing berries for 

 market. If I was to set only four varieties, I would take Great 

 Pacific. Bidwell, Manchester and Mt. Vernon. If six varieties were 

 to be planted I would choose Great-Pacific, Bidwell, Manchester, 

 Captain Jack, Mt. Vernon and Windsor-Chief. If I was going to 

 add any more to the list I would take Cumberland Triumph as 

 they are always large and perfect in form. The Cumberland does 

 not fruit as heavy as some others, but is always perfect in form. 



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