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TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



Bailey Sweet, Ben Davis, Rome Beauty, Jonathan, Smith's Cider, 

 Wagoner, Winesap and Willow Twig ; and on sandy-clay soil, Yellow 

 Bellflower and Hubbardston Nonsuch. 



April 3d, at six o'clock A. M., the thermometer indicated 20° above 

 zero; cherry-buds were swollen almost into bloom, and, being in this 

 tender condition, of course were injured; and although they ^//^ bloom, 

 yet the crop was almost a failure. We have but one variety that is worth 

 planting here, and that is the Early Richmond. 



On May ist, Strawberries commenced to bloom, and on the 7th 

 were in full bloom ; the first ripe ones were picked for market on the 

 26th, just twenty-six days from the time of blooming. We never before 

 had so good and full setting of this fruit as we had last spring, but the 

 drouth of the last of May and the first of June cut the crop short one- 

 half; but, as the weather was so fine, the fruit could be put into the 

 market in such fine condition that it brought as good prices as when much 

 larger. All things considered, Wilson is the berry for this part of the 

 State. In addition to Wilson, I would plant Sharpless, Crescent Seed- 

 ling and Jucunda. 



The strawberry requires a soil rich enough to grow a good crop of 

 corn or potatoes ; it should be plowed in the spring as early as the ground 

 will work well, then harrowed until perfectly level and free from clods. 

 Plants should be set the last of April or the first of May, in rows three- 

 and-a-third feet apart and three feet apart in the rows, laying the runners, 

 as they grow, along the rows, so they may take root. Cultivating may 

 be done with a walking cultivator, setting the shovels so they will leave 

 the ground as level as possible, and. using the hoe directly around the 

 plants; continue this cultivation throughout the season. In the fall, as 

 soon as the ground is frozen hard enough to bear a team, the plants 

 should be covered with straw, being careful not to cover so deep as to 

 smother the plants. As soon as the frost is out of the ground in spring, 

 remove the mulch from the plants, letting it lay between the rows, to 

 keep down weeds and also to keep the berries clean. When the crop is 

 gathered, then turn everything under with a good plow ; this destroys 

 insects that are injurious to the strawberry and cuts off the means of their 

 increase, and, besides all this, adds fertility to the soil. I have cultivated 

 strawberries, for profit, for over fifteen years, and my experience has 

 taught me that it is cheaper to set out a new patch every spring than to 

 cultivate the old ones, as the fruit will be of better quality and larger size, 

 consequently will command a better price in the market. 



Raspberries were a good crop. Mammoth Cluster and Doolittle 

 bearing heavily. The first black-caps bloomed May 23d, and we com- 

 menced picking for market in just one month afterward. This crop 

 realized an average of twelve-and-a-half cents per quart. Turner and 

 Brandywine are our best reds, with M. Cluster, Doolittle and Gregg for 

 black-caps. 



Lawton Blackberries killed to the ground and Kittatinny fruit-buds 

 were destroyed by the cold of last winter, while Snyder went through 

 unscathed. 



