596 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



heave in the wiutei* time. In planting by the hill system they usually 

 plant about two and one-half, or two feet opart, or j'ou can plant eighteen 

 inches and have the I'ows farther apart, but the usual method is to plant 

 in the hill and cultivate both ways. 



Prof. Latta: Is that your method? 



Mr. Grossman: No, it is not my method. I never used it. The 

 hedge row system is the system that is recommended by a great number of 

 people in this vicinity. This is one of the best methods if you have time 

 to do the work. It takes more work than the others, because you have 

 to keep the runners off during the summer. The rows should be from 

 thirty inches to thirty-two, to three feet, according to the wish, but if you 

 have them two and one-half feet, and then plant the hills two and one-half 

 feet each way, you c^n cultivate both ways. This system is used here 

 by several growers. 



Prof. Latta: I believe we would be b.etter served if you would stick 

 pretty close to what you do, with the reasons, and let the other fellow 

 tell his way. This is on the ground of actual experience. Make this as 

 strong as you can on your own experience. . I want to bring out your ex- 

 perience. 



Mr. Grossman: Well, I propose to set the plants thirty inches, or 

 three feet apart, and I keep the runners off until the first of July in order 

 to get a strong growth of the plants. If I get busy of course I allow 

 them to take their own course, but I take off a portion of the runners 

 when they get too thick. I have succeeded in getting good berries in this 

 way, and plenty of them. I succeed better than with the hedge row. 

 I get a good quality of berries, and I find that it is less work and the ex- 

 pense is much less. I can get a good crop of berries much cheaper than 

 by any other method, and while by the other method they have larger 

 berries, our market is not such that we can get an advance in price fJr 

 the difference in the quality. 



Now I wish to speak of the culture. I begin to cultivate these plants 

 the minute I get through setting them. If I am delayed so as not to 

 finish the patch in one day, I cultivate the patch that is already set, and 

 I cultivate it after every shower. If we do not get a shower, I cultivate 

 every week anyhow. I hoe them before the weeds can be seen. I am 

 very careful to pick out the weeds from the sides of the plant, and not let 

 them get started. I am keeping my patch thoroughly clean, and when the 

 runners begin to run I have gotten rid of most of the weeds and the soil 

 is loose and the runners can take hold. We have had a very severe 

 drought this summer. Recently we had a rain and they are beginning 

 to root now. The patrh !.«; clean so we will not have very much more 

 trouble this fall. 



