36 State Horticultural Society. 



the ground the year before, grows no crop there at all, does not plow it 

 down, but begins stirring it at once. He spends the entire year in pre- 

 paring the land for the growth of his plants. The soil is stiff clay soil ; 

 some limestone. 



Now, about the mulching. The tendency is to bring the roots to the 

 surface. In a dry season like this I find that when the roots are brought 

 so near the surface the plants sufit'er worse than they would otherwise. 

 We must think about the kind of land that we are using or the roots will 

 get too near the surface. 



I am not familiar enough with the varieties to give any list, but I 

 think those varieties having plenty of leaf surface do -better than those 

 that have such thin foliage. The same is true with the apple and peach 

 and the cornfield as well. We need a thick, heavy leaf. 



Dr. Green of Chillicothe, Mo. — With me the Glenn Mary hardly 

 needs any rain. It has a big fine leaf and stands the drouth fine. Now,. 

 I don't raise strawberries on a large scale, but I want to say a word about 

 mulching. I find that if I put a layer of forest leaves under the mulch 

 it does much better. Any kind of mulch on top will hold the leaves down. 

 ]My soil is elm and hickory land. The soil is about 20 inches deep. I 

 find that berries require a great deal of care. As my list I will name the 

 Glenn Mary as the first choice, then the Warfield and Crescent. 



Mr. Hamilton of St. Clair, Mo. — The best growing ])lant is the 

 Sample. We also have the Haverwood and Bubach. The Clyde is the 

 vmproductive variety I have ever had. I do not think it tit to plant on 

 my ground. It seldom, if ever, has any fruit. 



Mr. Butterfield of Lees Summit. — The Clyde is the best berry I ever 

 saw. I would name the Clyde, Ruby, Bubach, a large berry, but not very 

 good to eat. 



Mr. Wittenbach of Morrison, Mo. — I never mulch my berries. Have 

 raised them for years and have never mulched them yet. Three years 

 ago on 2-3 of an acre I did not mulch and made $189. This year I will 

 make about $80. I plowed up one patch last year and it is doing fairly 

 well this year. Set my plants in rows about 4 feet apart. I tend th^ni 

 till September. I never mulch any at all. The varieties are Capt. Jack, 

 Downing and Bubach. 



I grade my fruit as I pick. Trust pickers to grade. Get ten cents a 

 quart. • 



Miss Park of Springfield, ]\Io. — We have only about 1-4 of an acre 

 in strawberries this year. We are testing new varieties. Excelsior, 

 Brandywne, Bismarck, New York and several others. Excelsior is a 

 very early berry. Johnson's early is an early berry. Clyde is a good 

 berry, but not fit for shipping. The drouth is beginning to fade them.. 



