STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 83 



and prolific in plants; some lack vitality and will not do well un- 

 less the weather is suitable and they are planted in congenial soil ; 

 many varieties have an abundance of large fruit; others have a 

 large berry, but are shy bearers, while many are too tender in 

 bloom and plant. 



I have known the strawberry to be winter killed. When killed 

 the crown turns black, and the bloom, when it comes out in the 

 spring, is black before the petals are opened. 



I know of only one or two varieties that are sure to bear the 

 first year after planting. Usually the second year we have the 

 best crop. 



The first season of growth most varieties seem to exhaust their 

 vitality in producing plants, the fruit buds being imperfect in de- 

 velopment. This is especially true with stamnite varieties. 



The cause of imperfect fruit in 1889 was a dry fall, winter and 

 spring, and a heavy frost followed by four or five days of heavy 

 winds. 



When fruit buds are properly developed take the crown of a 

 plant, strip off the leaves downward to the roots, and the last 

 leaf taken away will show the miniature bloom just ready to come 

 out. 



I notice that when we have good growing weather for wheat, 

 grass and clover in the fall, this is just what we need for a good 

 crop of berries the next season. Water is the best manure for 

 the strawberry, and land can be too rich in nitrogen as well as too 

 poor for want of it. 



The Experiment Stations could do no better thing for the berry 

 grower than to devise some way to cheaply saturate the sub-soil 

 Avith water, thus to bridge over the dry spell, especially in fruit- 

 ing time. 



We observe the best soil for the strawberry is an alluvial mix- 

 ture of clay and some sand, with good drainage for the surface, 

 with sub-soil completely permeated with water — water so near the 

 surface that by digging three or four feet anywhere it can be 

 found. If there is too much sand the capillary attraction will 

 not be sufficient to bring moisture to the surface. Alluvial soil is 

 good without this sub-irregation, but this kind of soil can only be 

 found in low ground. A man having such ground can positively 

 make strawberry growing a success, if he makes it a specialty. 

 The only drawback is that late frosts in the spring are apt to be 

 more severe than on high ground. 



Such men as Mr. Crawford, of Ohio, and other strawberry 

 specialists are aware of these facts, and any new strawberry being 

 introduced which originated in such soil, under such favorable 

 conditions will most surely be a failure when planted on high, dry 

 ground. 



To illustrate : In 1887 my brother and I sent to Mr. Bubagh for 

 his No. 5 strawberry. I planted on high, dry bluff land, rich and 



