Joint Convention. 185 



beds are well cared for, the second crop will be nearly as large. 

 Some make a practice of plowing the beds under as soon as the 

 first crop has been gathered, and to set new every year, others 

 plow up after the second crop. The condition of the bed, and 

 the character of the soil had a sfreat deal to do in determininir which 

 was the best course. lie had beds that had yielded four good crops 

 in succession. Had now a bed of Crescents that had given him 

 three good crops and would have given the fourth but for injury 

 from insects that came in last season. You cannot expect good 

 continued crops if you let the beds grow up to grass the first year. 

 They should be kept free from grass the first year. If this is 

 done, and the bed is mulched in the fall and well covered iti the 

 winter, it will probably give good returns for two years without 

 much further care. If mowed over and allowed to stand longer, 

 it may yield fairly for two seasons more, but lie would not 

 recommend the practice. 



Beds may be injured by too much hoeing and cultivation. If 

 the mulch is taken off in the spring, and the ground kept hoed 

 and stirred frecpiently up to the time for fruiting, the crop will 

 be greatly injured. It is better not to disturb the beds or the 

 alleys near them from the time the frost comes out until the fruit 

 is picked. If grass or weeds come in they should be pulled by 

 hand, not hoed up. The Crescent grows so vigorously as to 

 keep down or starve out grass and weeds, and the plants them- 

 selves take full possession of the ground, and form a perfect mat 

 of vines. If they are not thinned out the fruit will be smaller, 

 but you will have a large quantity, if there are other fertilizing 

 varieties near at hand. 



Mr. I. lluyck, of Sun Prairie, said he had tried to raise straw- 

 berries year after year, l)nt had failed every time until this last 

 season, then he stumbled on to success. He knew nothing of 

 this plan or necessity of mixing plants, but happened to set a 

 bed with Crescents at both ends and Wilsons in the middle. 

 The Wilsons did not do anything, but the crop from the Cres- 

 cents was very large. Most farmers do not understand this pecul- 

 iarity of the different varieties, and think that if they get any 

 variety and set it out, it ought to bear fruit, and usually they get 



