300 ILLINOIS STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



down, spade up the ground between the rows and plants with a potato- 

 fork, remove the covering to where you have loosened the ground. 



For early strawberries, plant the Duchess, next the Wilson (for 

 market). Green Prolific (for home use). Crescent Seedling (for profit). 

 This kind will require the least care and attention ; they are said to keep 

 the grass and weeds from the bed better than any other variety; they 

 ripen about a week earlier than the Wilson, and last longer, having fair 

 to large berries, of delicious flavor. With my experience, they will yield 

 from one-third to one-half more than any other variety. For late 

 varieties plant Col. Cheney, Champion, Kentucky and Great American. 

 Do 7iot forget to give the Great American extra culture if you expect large 

 returns. 



In planting in this way you can have strawberries as late as the 20th 

 of July. Other varieties worthy of trial are Chas. Downing, President 

 Lincoln, Glendale, Red Jacket, Forest Rose, Prouty, Essex Beauty, 

 Sharpless, etc. 



Before strawberries are gone raspberries commence to ripen. A 

 patch of land containing a few square rods, well set in these, will insure 

 a good supply for a family until grapes begin to ripen. Tips of the 

 black-cap variety should be planted in rows six feet apart and four feet 

 apart in the row. Raspberries give an abundant yield where good culti- 

 vation is given. The best varieties of the black-caps are Mammoth 

 Cluster and Gregg. The red varieties are propagated by suckers, and 

 should be treated the same as other varieties. Several new varieties have 

 come into being of late, and well recommended, such as Cudibert 

 (No. i). Reliance, Early Prolific, Henrietta, Pride-of-the-Hudson, rliila- 

 delphia. Queen of the Market (said to measure three inches in circum- 

 ference). 



The question may be asked. How shall we know what varieties to 

 set? Ask some of your reliable nurserymen. A plantation of rasp- 

 berries will do well far a number of years; every farmer should plant 

 them for home use, for canning and preserving for winter use; they are 

 not excelled. They require no sugar for preserving them. Cut out the 

 old canes each year, and as the new canes grow to three or four feet in 

 height pinch off the stalk, so they will grow more stocky and less liable 

 to winter-kill. Mulch well and you can depend on having fruit. 



Currants are easily grown, and are generally cultivated, or allowed 

 to care for themselves as best they can. With very many farmers this is 

 the only fruit they have, and they are left to sod in. Give them plenty 

 of room, good cultivation, and mulch well, and you will be liberally 

 rewarded. 



Red Dutch, White Dutch, Cherry, White Grape and Versailles are all 

 good varieties. 



Blackberries, of late years, have become a standard fruit and are 

 proving a great success. They fill out the season admirably, until grapes 

 ripen. Those now recommended are Snyder and Taylor. 



Cherries will hardly come under the head of "small-fruit." Taken 

 in one sense they will. In many parts of the State they are grown sue- 



