66 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



black and red, does well planted in hills 6 ft. each way. They cost 

 less to care for them in this shape. 



Rlackberries. cnrrants, gooseberries, etc.. we ])lant 4 by 8 ft., cnlti- 

 vating both ways as long as possible, then one way. 



Early j)lanting is usually best, as early as the ground can be worked 

 and the plants dug. Well fertilized soil properly prepared before plant- 

 ing and a liberal application of some good commercial fertilizer two 

 or three times during the growing season will be money well invested. 

 An application of potash and phosphates early in the season on bear- 

 ing vines will make larger berries that will stand up and keep better 

 than where too much nitrates are used. 



After picking the strawberry beds, if they are in good enough condi 

 tion to pay to pick another year, we like to burn them over. This leaves 

 the ground perfectly clean and saves a lot of work. Straw and marsh 

 hay are good for a mulch on the strawberries. 



We pinch back the young growth in raspberries and blackberries as 

 soon as we can. When they are from six inches to a foot in height and 

 go over them two or three times during the growing season to keep 

 them low and stocky with plenty of Ijearing wood. After picking, clean 

 out all old wood and burn it. Have tried spraying in a limited way 

 on all small fruits and am satisfied it will pay well for the expense, 

 using a Bordeaux and arsenate-of-lead — 3 lbs. to 50 gallons of the mix- 

 ture. 



A good nearby market where the fruit can be sold as it ripens is 

 the ideal way of disposing of it. A regular shipping trade or a canning 

 factory are both good. We can hardly appreciate the value of a good 

 canning factory that takes all kinds of small fruits. It takes care of 

 any surplus and keeps the market cleaned up and in a good healthy 

 condition. 



For a term of years on good soil and a nearby market, there is a 

 fairly good profit in the growing of small fruits for the commercial 

 grower and for the amateur. No end to the amount of enjoyment, to 

 say nothing of health to be derived from the work. Every farm should 

 have some of all the small fruit. 



Q. You spoke about spraying small fruit. Have you ever made a 

 comparisoJi between the sprayed and unsprayed fruit to know if it real- 

 ly paid? 



A. Only a few times, but I know that it pays. 



Q. What is the best common variety of straAvberry? 



A. We have got the most out of the Dunlap. 



Q. What varieties do you plant with it? 



A. The Warfield. Some years they do better and some years they 

 don't. They sell better alone. 



Q. What do you do for white grubs? 



A. I haven't had any experience with them. 



Mr. Wilkins : The answer is not to raise them on sod land. 



Q. How about two crops of strawberries in one year? 



A. About the only way to do this is to burn the plants over after 

 the first crop and let them come up fresh. This will some times pro- 

 duce a new crop. The "Enhance" is about the only variety that will 

 do this. 



Q. What commercial fertilizer do you use on strawberries? 



