Oswego Strawberries. 141 



by far the best of any fertilizer used, but an explanation of tlie con- 

 ditions will modify the conclusions. Plats 1 and 2 were next to a 

 four-foot stone fence, sheltered from the cold winds of fall and 

 spring, being covered with a good coat of snow through the winter 

 months. Added to this was the fact that the May beetles in flying 

 from an adjoining pasture field did not settle to the ground until 

 they had passed the space where these plats were subsequently 

 planted. The ground was practically clear of grubs which were 

 cpiite destructive in the remainder of the plats, especially so on the 

 one-half of the acre containing Plats 6 to 10 inclusive. This being 

 the case, dissolved rock again shows its value. On Plat 2 fresh 

 cow manure was applied at the rate of 30,000 pounds to the acre 

 before the plants were set, resulting in much more growth than on 

 the other plats ; the berries, however, were not as good as on the 

 fertilizer plats. 



Experiment 11. This table shows in a less degree the same con- 

 ditions as in Table 10. Plat 1, having a more sheltered position 

 and being lower than the remainder of the bed, had the benefit of 

 more moisture tlirough two dry seasons, that of plant-growing and 

 that of fruitino^. Otherwise the results are in accord with those of 

 the larger part of these tests. 



General CoNCLusiox. — The first strihincj fact aljout these tests 

 is the high yield of the fertilizer ])lats. Omitting Experiment 9, 

 imohich lyart of the lylants were hilled hj the fertilizer and in 

 which the soil ivas veri/ poor and stony, the average yield from 55 

 tests icas 5^197 qnctrts j^er acre, or 2fi00 quarts ahove the average. 

 The second general result is the siiperiority of jjotassic and phos- 

 phoric fertilizers as compared with the nitrogenons. The nitrogen 

 fertilizers, including very heavy applications of staUe manure, 

 gave too much growth and an inferior quality of fruit. It must 

 he reraemhered, however, that these strawberry growers are good cul- 

 tivators and that their tillage pr oh ally sup>plied sufficient nitrogen 



in most cases. 



Testimony of the Growers. 



In order to ascertain the farm value of these experiments, the 

 following questions were asked of four of the growers who had 

 charge of the experimental work : 



