Vermont State Horticultural Society 77 



that has given me the most satisfaction is the "Perfection plant 

 setter" obtained from R. M. Kellogg. Three Rivers, Mich. Still 

 with this tool unless the plants are fresh and good we lose some. 

 We are very careful not to let the plants remain in the sun or 

 exposed to the wind, for twenty minutes' exposure will kill 8 

 out of lo plants ; only expose them long enough to be transferred 

 from basket to the ground and firm the earth carefully around 

 each. I use about 7,000 plants per acre. Rows 3 feet 6 inches 

 apart, plants 24 inches apart in the row. After setting one-half 

 day, if the weather is dry and windy, start the cultivator and 

 stir the ground as close up to the plant as possible without dis- 

 turbing it and keep the cultivator busy every two or three days 

 and after every rain. All summer this takes the place of irriga- 

 tion and it is surprising how severe a drouth you can keep plants 

 growing in. This is called by some "horse leg irrigation" and 

 it is all right. 



After the runners have started lay them along in the row 

 and fasten them down with a stone or some earth over the vine, 

 this will make them root. After you have enough placed around, 

 cut the rest as fast as they appear and pick all blossoms off the 

 first season. This is imperative if you want to get a big 

 yield the following year, the plant must have all of its vigor and 

 strength to mature a big crop of berries and the big crops are 

 what we are after; it does not pay to go to all this trouble and 

 expense for a small crop of small berries. This takes us up to 

 the late fall. As soon as the ground is sufficiently frozen to 

 hold a team, draw and cover the rows 2 or 3 inches with strawey 

 manure and let it remain until the ground is completely thawed 

 in the spring and you think there will not be any more hard 

 freezes, then rake off the coarsest between the rows to serve as 

 a mulch and also to keep the berries clean. Now there is no 

 more to do only to pull all big weeds until picking time. See 

 that your baskets are ordered long enough ahead so as not to be 

 bothered in the rush of picking. I put my name on every basket 

 of No. I fruit and stand behind it. Small and No. 2 berries 

 don't need any guarantee, the berries show for themselves. I 

 never had any trouble in disposing of a fancy lot of berries. 

 Strawberries have long ceased to be considered a luxury, they 

 have become a necessity. I can remember only a few years 

 ago, less than 20, when 100 bushels of strawberries could not be 

 sold in Randolph and vicinity throughout the season. I think 

 I am safe in saying that more than 1,000 bushels will not fill the 

 bill this year. Statistics show that $100,000,000 are paid annu- 

 ally in the United States alone just for the little strawberry. 

 I pay 2c per basket for picking if the picker stays through the 

 season or i>4c if through the rush only. After the picking is 



