270 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



enriched and thoroughly cultivated. The plants may be set in the spring or 

 early fall, as is most convenient, but the spring is the safest time, and then a 

 good crop will be gathered the next season. If a horse is to be used in culti- 

 vating, the rows should be three feet apart and the plants fifteen to eighteen 

 inches apart; but where the hoe only is to be used, the rows may be two feet 

 apart or even less. The strawberry bed should be thoroughly cultivated through 

 the season, and the runners kept cut off. Late in the fall cover the bed with 

 straw, and allow it to stay on the bed until the fruit is gathered the next season. 

 The strawberry is managed in a variety of ways, but the plan just described 

 will insure a good crop of first-class fruit, which is the object sought for. 



Mr. Buck said he did not believe that one farmer in ten had a bed of straw- 

 berries or raspberries, but he wished they would set one out, take care of it, and 

 then, and only then, could they realize the enjoyment to be obtained from these 

 luscious fruits. He also urged the women to insist upon it that their husbands 

 set out a strawberry bed. 



Mr. Warner said that fruit was a large item in his diet. He renews his 

 strawberry beds once in three years; prepares the ground by summer fallowing 

 and enriching ; sets plants in August or September and gets some fruit the 

 next season. He has the Monarch, Chas. Downing, and the Wilson. He 

 showed how the farmer could have fruit on the table almost every day through 

 the year, by having strawberries, cherries, raspberries, blackberries, peaches, 

 grapes, pears, plums, and apples, each in its season. 



Mr. Kuniery : All the strawberry growers were on sandy land ; did not think 

 clay soil would produce a berry of good quality. 



Mr. Warner : Quality on a very hard clay is not apt to be first-class. 



Mr. Buck : This year we get size but poor quality, on account of the wet 

 weather; quality is better in a dry season. 



July Meeting. 



The matter of transportation charges from Allegan to Chicago was first con- 

 sidered, Mr. Sailor saying that while last year the G-. H. railway and steamers 

 had carried peaches to Chicago for eight cents per basket, they this year had 

 announced their intention of charging fifteen cents. On a shipment the other 

 day this had made a difference of $1.68 to him, and for the season would make 

 a difference of more than $120 to him over his last year's rates. After some 

 more discussion, Messrs. Dumont, Sailor, and Lay were appointed a committee 

 to confer with the express and railway companies as to freight charges, they to 

 publish their report. 



Mr. Sailor said he would this year ship in fifth-bushel baskets, four in a 

 crate. Buyers liked the crates, as the fruit went through without jamming. 

 They are so heavy that train and boat men cannot throw them about, yet they 

 can be easily handled. The crates contain four baskets and are made of light 

 stuff. They cost four and a quarter cents per basket ; with crate and tarlatan, 

 will cost a cent more per basket. The crates come in parts, but it is slight 

 work to put them together. They are made in Muskegon and Douglas, and 

 are an unpatented invention of Messrs. Williams and Weed of the latter place. 

 Mr. Dumont said he was advised by Muskegon parties that if 20,000 or 30,000 

 were taken at once a discount of ten per cent from above rates would be made. 



Mr. Sailor recommended pasting the tarlatan to the baskets instead of sew- 

 ing, as a quicker way and as good. 



Mr. Dumont exhibited a lot of Amsden or Alexander peaches, excellent 

 specimens in every way. 



