58 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



of liand work and stir the groimd more thoroughly than an}' other 

 kind. Tiic Warren hoe, having three sharp corners shaped like the 

 letter V, somewhat, is a very good one but not as strong as the other, 

 altliough it answers ver\' well for the same purpose. 



MODE OF CULTURE. 



There are man}' wa3's of growing strawberries, and man}' opin- 

 ions and theories as to which is the best mode of proceeding. If 

 you are growing them for the family and wish to set onl}' a few plants 

 in the garden for your own use, the mode of culture would be 

 essentially different from what it should be when grown for market 

 in the field ; and vou would want a choicer collection and one where 

 a fine flavor is more desirable than productiveness, for we do not find 

 both qualities in one variety. In the garden you have a small plot 

 of ground cultivated b}' hand with no room to work a horse cultivator 

 or anything of the kind, and the spaces between the plants which 

 have to be kept clear from weeds with a hoe should not be too wide. 

 I should advise hill culture for the garden. Some grow them in 

 narrow rows, but you get larger and better berries and can take care 

 of them easier if grown in hills about twenty inches apart, each wa}'. 

 Keep the runners cut close. By so doing very large plants are formed, 

 which will bear more than a dozen ordinary plants will if occupying 

 the same space. I have heard the statement made, that for 

 every runner cut off a new fruit stem was formed. It can't be true 

 of all varieties, as some sorts send out double the runners that others 

 do, where their productive qualities are about the same. Take the 

 Crescents and Wilson's, for instance ; the bearing qualities are about 

 equal in each, while the former sends out a great man}' more runners 

 than the latter. These sorts are very productive and grow more 

 runners than varieties do that have a larger berry. It would seem 

 by this that a plant which sends out many runners had great pro- 

 ductive qualities, but it is not so, as the Kentucky and the Len- 

 ning's White are very strong and vigorous sorts, propagating rapidly, 

 yet almost worthless as market varieties. Such has been my 

 experience at least. 



The runners need not be cut until they are six inches long or more, 

 just before they commence to root. If allowed to root, the strength 

 of the main plant is exhausted in feeding the runners. The finest 

 and best berries are grown in this way, always in hills, for exhibi- 

 tion purposes. I have seen the Sharpless strawberry grown in this 

 way by one of our Rockland merchants, who takes great pride in his 



