SOCIETY OF NORTHERN ILLINOIS. 353 



The past season I gathered eleven hundred quart boxes of 

 Pacific from thirty rods of ground, and they had not been culti- 

 vated for the two years previous. 



DISCUSSION. 



Mr. Bryant asked what the best fertilizer was for strawberries. 



Mr. Piper said that hog or stable manure was the best. If 

 that was not to be had, lime and ashes, equal quantities of each, 

 made a good top-dressing, which should be worked in. Straw- 

 berries should be protected with a light covering of straw in the 

 Avinter, to prevent their freezing and thawing. 



Mr. Coe — I have found corn stalks to be the best covering. 

 On motion, Society adjourned until 2 o'clock. 



-o- 



THURSDAY AFTERNOON SESSION. 



Meeting convened at 2 o'clock, as per adjournment, and Mr. 

 H. R. Cotta's paper was called for and read. 



RASPBERRIES AND BLACKBERRIES. 



BY H. R. COTTA. 



With raspberries and blackberries, as with all other fruits, we 

 must not expect profitable returns unless we work for them. On 

 the other hand, I find them quite profitable where proper atten- 

 tion is given. 



I drove by a small field of Turner in this city a few days ago. 

 The plants had been set some years ago in squares, and are still 

 cultivated both ways. Each plant stands in a block of sod about 

 two feet square. I suppose if I had talked with the owner of 

 that field about the profitableness of that crop, he would have 

 told me it did not pay to raise raspberries. 



In this section of the State, raspberries have been neglected, 

 and blackberries left to care for themselves. There is not one 

 grower in ten who will give his raspberries and blackberries as 

 good cultivation as he does his corn. 



To succeed in this industry, we must give as close attention to 

 every detail as we would if managing a store. Do not attempt 

 to grow berries unless you can attend to them when they need 

 it any more than you would attempt to fatten your live stock 

 on half rations. 

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