74 A)iicric(fn llorticullnnd Society. 



crease; then chciose for parent plants those which throw out runners most 

 freely, amil in due time this productive variety will satisfy in reprtxlurtion 

 of plants. To a grower of fruit the above pernliarity is hardly a defect. A 

 plant with a stronjr root system, which multiplies crowns rather than run- 

 ners, has a strong desideratum, and is most likely to reach the m:ixiiinu)i in 

 fruit production. 



Our cardinal principle, then, is this: Pre fruiting plants are invariably 

 to furnish our stock for the propagating beds. This, of codrse, implies the 

 cutting off of all blossoms as soon as they appear, on idl our propagating 

 beds. Another point is to secure one crop only from the same plants and 

 •the same land at one setting. An extra fine crop is more desirable than 

 two or three inferior crops. And now comes the point, how to secure the 

 maximum crop. This opens a subject as broad as the divergent views of 

 culture in the world of horticulture. 



From what has been already said it will be supposed that we start with 

 a good variety and a good stock of plants; this is the sine quu mm. This 

 lies at the foundation of success. Again, the variety, no matter how desira- 

 ble, must be adapted to our soil. Some varieties that do remarkably on a 

 rather heavy soil may absolutely fail on sand, or on a pure peat soil (and 

 possibly vice versa), though we always favor a strong soil for the strawberry. 

 Our ideal of the strawberry acre would be a strong loam with a retentive 

 subsoil, thorough undertlrainage, two or three previous years' clean cult- 

 ure with some hoed crop each year, and heavy annual dressings of grain- 

 fed horse manure, including the autumn previous to setting; in early spring, 

 as soon sis the land is in condition, use plow and pulverizing harrow and 

 mark both ways for planting. For spring planting we advise three feet by 

 one and one-half feet. This will require about ;i,GS() plants per acre. If the 

 principal kind is a pistillate, like the Jewell or Jersey Queen, we advise 

 planting every fourth row of two good bi-sexuals, say Charles Downing and 

 Sharpless, or Shari)less and Cumberland ; thus, first, fifth, ninth, thirteenth, 

 and so on ; the intermediate rows to be the best pistillate variety for the 

 locality and soil. Now, using the bi-sexuals, for instance Sharpless, com- 

 mence on first and plant on every alternate mark ; so on the fifth, ninth, 

 thirteenth, and on to the end of the piece. Then commence with Cumber- 

 land, Jessie, or whatever bi-sexual you choose next, and, going over the 

 same rows, plant on the omitted alternate marks through the piece. 



Now you have given every llower on your piece an elective choice be- 

 tween the pollen of two somewhat diverse bi-sexuals. By so doing you have 

 furnished the most perfect conditions for complete development of every 

 llower on the field. 



Our experience and observation go to show that these ideas are not 

 mere vagaries, but that in them lie the highest conditions of success, both 

 in quantity and quality, size and beauty of fruit. Having the ideal acre set 

 with plants of exceptional vigor and in manner as already indicated, let the 

 culture be thorough and frequent; allow each plant to make only two ad- 



