Joint Convention. 311 



mating an effort. He finds it difficult to spare the little time 

 required from the cultivation of crops from which he expects to 

 receive a cash income. We would not have him neglect the main 

 crops; neither would we have the farm help overworked; but 

 would have the farmer include growinor a supply of berries in 

 the farm plan each year, caring for them with as much prompt- 

 ness as he gives other crops, by hiring, if necessary, one or two 

 days' work during the busy season in the spring; the balance of 

 the work can usually be done by the regular farm help, if rightly 

 managed. 



If farmers who use salt pork freely will furnish a good supply 

 of home-grown berries, during the strawberry, raspberry and 

 blackberry' season, they will find that the value of the pork saved 

 by having the fruit will more than pay the expense of growing 

 the berries. There are still other dividends in favor of the ber- 

 ries: doctors' bills will decrease; hired help will work freer; chil- 

 dren and young people will be more contented on the farm; and 

 friends will be well served. 



Another reason why farmers do not plant small fruits is be- 

 cause they usually have more or less poultry which have free 

 range over the garden. This should not keep any from planting 

 small fruits, as they can be set a few rods away from the usual 

 range of the fowls and still be near enough to the home so they 

 will be gathered daily with but little extra trouble. 



In order to raise an abundant supply of berries with as much 

 certainty and as little expense as possible, select a piece of land 

 that is ten or fifteen rods long, free from sod, and not made exces- 

 sively rich; plow deep, harrow fine and level. 8et blackberries 

 on the side of the ground where they will Ije most out of the 

 way; next to blackberries plant black raspberries; red raspber- 

 ries next; then the strawberries. Cultivate raspberries and black- 

 berries shallow, and mulch heavy in the row with old straw or 

 hay that free is from seed. If the raspberries and blackberries are 

 thus treated every two or three years, they will not become weedy 

 or sodded over in the row; and will fruit well, eight or ten years, 

 on the same ground. 



Cultivate strawberries with a cultivator that will not ridjje the 



