404 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



The first of June, 1886, T never saw a finer prospect for fruit 

 then was growing on this land (except, perhaps, Mr. Stuart's, who 

 grows his herries on rich bottom land). The plants were vigorous 

 and full of large and small berries, promising an abundant yield, 

 when, oh, my! a hail storm came this way, lasting from fifteen to 

 twenty minutes, which completely ruined the plants and fruits; and 

 had it not been for the mulch it would have washed the ground 

 badly. What few berries did ripen were the very small ones at this 

 time, which matured very late, some of them ripening the second 

 week in July. I give the mulch credit for this, as it kept the ground 

 moist all through the heat of the last of June and the first weeks 

 of July. In August the plants commenced running; also some 

 weeds made their appearance, which were promptly cut down. 

 Those plants, which were mulched with sawdust, sent out many 

 runners, which took root, covering the two feet vacant space in a 

 short time with fine, strong plants. It took some longer time for 

 those mulched with leaves, yet they covered the ground alloted to 

 them and look very well. I watched those where the stalks were 

 placed with very much interest. In the middle of September the 

 vines had run all over the mulch but had not sent their roots 

 through them to the ground. You could take up masses of these 

 and turn them over, and find roots from one to two inches long com- 

 ing from each joint. The first week in October I was again ex- 

 amining them, and was surprised to find those roots had penetrated 

 through the stalks and had taken firm hold in the ground. I also 

 found the land under this covering moist and mellow. I do not be- 

 lieve that these plants will be injured this winter, nor become dry 

 next spring. I shall mulch the old row with stalks, this winter, a 

 sufiicient depth to completely kill the plants, leaving them as before, 

 two feet wide for plants and the same of clean ground. 



Strawberries require an immence cjuantity of moisture to pro- 

 duce large, handsome fruit, which is always marketable. Irrigation 

 and mulch will produce this moisture. So few persons can afford 

 the expense of irrigating, that mulch, being within the scope of any 

 grower, is much to be preferred. Mulch keeps the ground cool and 

 moist, and furnishes a more even temperature, thus enabling the 

 plants to mature the latter portion of their fruit, equal to the first 

 in color, size and shape. 



FEBRUARY MEETINa. 



Pine specimens of well-kept winter apples were upon the tables, 

 among which we recognized very pretty and perfect specimens of 

 the Rhode Island Greening, brought from an orchard in Western 



