22 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



TUESDAY EVENING. 



The Society re-assembled at seven o'clock ; and the President an- 

 nounced, as the regular order of business, a lecture from Prof. Thomas, 

 State Entomologist. But, as there was a less number in attendance than 

 was expected, he suggested that a half hour might be spent in discus- 

 sions. • . 



DISCUSSION RESUMED. 



The Secretary — M7-. President : I would like to ask a few ques- 

 tions of Mr. Leslie in regard to the Charles Downing strawberry — as he 

 was absent this afternoon, and is known to have grown this variety exten- 

 sively. What are the peculiarities and habits of the vine ? What are the 

 market qualities and comparative profits of the fruit ? What are the best 

 methods of cultivating and marketing the strawberry ? 



Mr. Leslie — I have tested some sixty varieties, and my opinion is 

 that the Charles Downing is the best berry, either for canning purposes 

 or for market. The Wilson is a good berry, but the Downing is better, 

 and brings a better price in the market. The objections to the Wilson 

 are : the berries lay too near the crown of the plant ; the fruit stems do 

 not stand up like the Charles Downing, and the plant is more difificult to 

 mulch; and it does not stand the hot sun like the Downing. I think well 

 of the Col. Cheney; also, of the Downer's Prolific and the Kentucky. 

 I cultivate in rows, three and a half feet apart, setting the plants one foot 

 apart in the row ; let them root over the ground for twelve to fifteen 

 inches in width ; plants outside of this strip I treat as so many weeds; 

 in the early winter, after freezing up, I cover with straw, four inches 

 thick, evenly distributed and shaken up loosely ; in the spring I rake the 

 straw between the rows, and leave it until after fruiting. The Charles 

 Downing needs renewing once in two or three years, which I do upon the 

 same ground, by plowing up the old plants with a wheel coulter on my 

 plow, first on the one side, or half, and then the next year on the other 

 side, turning the furrows away from the rows ; I sprinkle manure in this 

 furrow before leveling the ground. 

 * Voice — What is your soil ? 



Mr. Leslie — My soil is clay — the " hjizel barrens" of Fulton 

 county. 



Foice — Do you say you put on the mulch four inches thick? 



