594 BOAKD OF AGEICULTUKi'',. 



we will perhaps have a , medley of subjects which will be of interest to 

 the practical fruit grower, toward the close of this session. The first sub- 

 ject this morning is "The Methods of Planting and Culture," by Mr. 

 Grossman, a practical fruit grower, whom most of you know. Please re- 

 member that we have an opportunity for an informal discussion, so 

 please follow closely so that you may contribute your mite of experience 

 when he is through. ' 



J. C. Grossman: Mr. Chairman.— Rather than being embarrassed I am 

 congratulating myself that there is not a larger crowd here than there 

 is, for I was placed on this program against my express wish. I have 

 been called upon so many timeS to speak before the same audience that 

 almost everyone has heard me over and over again. I can't tell anything 

 very new, but nevertheless I will occupy a portion of the time, but not 

 the twenty minutes allotted to me. It will not take me that long to tell 

 what I have to say. 



Mr. Van Deman told you yesterday that the strawberry could be 

 grown on any of the cultivated soils in the United States, and I believe 

 that this is true. There is not a place in the United States where a crop 

 can not be cultivated and grown but where the strawberry can be grown, 

 more or less successfully. That success will depend to a great extent 

 upon the man, the individual, and his methods of caring for his straw- 

 berries. Now before taking up the methods of planting and culture, 

 the first thi^g we want to think about is the soil, and the preparation of 

 the soil. I always endeavor, and I would endeavor if I had a large 

 farm, to select a soil that could be easily worked and easily kept in good 

 culture, and rich. There is quite a difference in soils. I have been ac- 

 customed to working in a sandy loam, and never have worked in a 

 clay soil, so I would not understand it. A gentleman here has it, and he 

 no doubt will take up the discussion of this and tell us about his methods. 



I have the land well fertilized, put on a heavy coat of manure in the 

 fall, possibly before the ground freezes. This soil or land should be 

 cultivated years previous to this planting. I prefer to have some green 

 crop on the land, in the fall, and cover it with manure. This makes it 

 easy to cultivate and makes it fertile. I plow deep, but not deep enough 

 to turn up a heavy coat of subsoil, but down to that, and it has also 

 been my custom to cultivate thoroughly before planting. I drag the 

 ground, and then harrow it, lapping one-half. I harrow It five or six 

 times, or eight if necessary. I get the ground thoroughly fine and com- 

 pact, and usually leave it stand two or three days, and possibly a week 

 on account of the moisture. The ground was unusually dry this spring 

 and we could not get to work early on account of the late spring. I 

 worked in the field until the first of June, but I was careful to get the 

 ground thoroughly fine, and compact. There was not a clod to be found. 

 Under these conditions 1 can control the weeds. There is not a weed to 

 be found in the patch at the present time, and I have not done any culti- 



