Tlic Expansion of Small- Fruit Culture. 75 



o o b 

 ditional plants— X X X — X representing the stock plants and S the 



s s s 



newly-formed plants. Thus restricted, the triple row of plants will be of 

 unusual vigor and enormous size, with wonderful fruiting capacity. Let it 

 be remembered that during this year of growth the blossoms are to be in- 

 variably cut on their appearance, that we are laying the foundation for great 

 things to come. 



The question may be asked, How will you prevent the work of the 

 white grub and other destroyers? We reply that after two years of clean 

 culture, with care to destroy all marauders, there will be little damage from 

 grubs or other enemies. But as a precaution allow some plants to make 

 extra runners to till occasional vacancies. 



When winter sets in, mulch judiciously with evergreen boughs, sowed 

 corn or coarse hay, or even strawy horse-manure, being careful, while doing 

 it well, not to overdo. The great object of the mulch, be it remembered 

 is not to prevent freezing, but to prevent alternate freezing and thawing; 

 therefore, the most perfect winter condition is one where the plants are per- 

 fectly dormant. 



When spring opens, be patient until all danger of ground freezing has 

 passed and the soil has sufficient warmth to start vegetation. When this 

 time has come, carefully remove all coarse material from the plants and 

 give a complete shallow hoeing and weeding, leaving the ground still un- 

 covered to get fully warmed up. The plants will now show wonderful vigor 

 and a profusion of bloom that will be delightful to behold. Your brightest 

 day-dreams will promise a full realization. 



Now, let well enough alone, and keep off your patch until the berries 

 begin to show white a little, when re-mulch with clean material just suffi- 

 cient to keep the fruit clean. Coarsely cut straw or lawn clippings are ex- 

 cellent, but let the operation be done by careful hands ; and thenceforward 

 let no careless feet or rude hands go among those plants. Visitors will come 

 around, but let their curiosity be satisfied and their exclamations go forth 

 from the border of your piece, not from the interior. 



Ripening commences (and here let me say that the same field with 

 thorough underdrainage will ripen from four days to a week in advance of 

 the same not drained ; that is our experience). If you have fancy berries, 

 as you probably will, allow only expert pickers to gather them. Send to ap- 

 preciative dealers in attractive packages, and you may usually dictate prices 

 with confidence. We have come to feel that a choice crop had better be 

 handled by only experts at so much per hour, rather than be picked per 

 quart by average pickers. 



In regard to the amount of yield, we simply say that a possible yield is 

 far more than most people will be willing to admit. On a field day, on our 

 own ground, many persons remarked that if they had not seen they would 

 not have believed what they saw in size and yield. 



