78 Third Annual Report 



through and I want to renew the field for another year I take 

 the disk harrow, remove the two center disks and two from each 

 outside, now set it around as far as possible but first mow and 

 rake the vines off and cast them away. In disking leave a row 6 

 inches wide and pulverize between the rows thoroughly ; after 

 this apply six or seven hundred pounds of a high grade ferti- 

 lizer containing each 8 per cent of nitrogen, phosphoric acid and 

 potash per acre. Scatter this along the row of vines left and be 

 sure to put it on when the weather is fine and the vines dry and 

 brush them off, as fertilizer of this strength is liable to burn the 

 foliage. I did the same thing several years ago on vines of the 

 first year's setting and shall always remember it as it cost me 

 more than the price of the fertilizer. After I have the field 

 disked and fertilized we take the hoes. Now we use a special 

 hoe of our own which we manufacture out of an old one by 

 cutting with a cold chisel down about ^^ way on the back, each 

 side of the center and then horizontal with the cutting edge, 

 making a narrow hoe about i^ inches wide, one of the prongs 

 square and the other to a point. I have described it the best I 

 know how, but I will give anyone a diagram if they wish. And 

 I am telling you they are all right for strawberries, one man 

 will "do the work of one and a half or two men with the big hoe. 

 There is no patent and all are at liberty to make as many as they 

 wish. I have raised more berries on same piece, the second year 

 after setting than the first, treated in this way. I know that there 

 is more money in strawberries and more backaches also than 

 anything I ever did if we make them a specialty and attend to 

 them when they demand our attention, but if we make straw- 

 berries of secondary importance and let the weeds get the start, 

 woe be unto us for there is no place in the world where weeds 

 thrive and flourish as in a field of strawberries. I have taken at 

 the rate of $300 to $500 per acre and much more than that for 

 some special small pieces. The kinds that do well with me 

 might not do with you. My favorites are the Crescent, Haver- 

 land, Glen Mary, Senator, Dunlap, Warfield, Sample, etc. I 

 have tried a great many new varieties but I find it better to stick 

 to my old friends than to be all the time changing to new ones. 

 With blackberries and raspberries I have never raised only 

 enough for our own use, with a few to spare some years, but my 

 intentions are to set more land to these bushes this spring as the 

 wild ones are getting scarcer and there is more of a call for them. 

 We commenced raising strawberries for our own use and found 

 them so good and then the neighbors would want some and we 

 concluded to set out more and we found by cultivating a large 

 piece, it reduced the cost and gave us more money. My advice 



