WINTER MEETING. 163 



make it a rule to work up close to the plantsjwhen hoeing, and often use the fingers to 

 pulverize the soil near the plant; never let the weeds get a start. We quit culti- 

 vating about September 1 ; after this date we go over and cut out such weeds as 

 are liable to go to seed before frost, and run a Planet Jr. hand-cultivator along 

 the rows to keep the runners of each variety confined to their row. 



VARIETIES. 



Of these there are hundreds ; some only succeed in certain soils and locali- 

 ties, others again seem to flourish in most any soil and climate. New varieties 

 are introduced every year by the score, and among hundreds a very few ever be- 

 come popular. Each one should experiment and find what varieties suit his soil 

 and location, as what succeeds with one may be useless with another. 



Here at Glasgow we find Beder Wood the best new one sent out since the 

 Bubach and Haverland were introduced. It is most as early as IMichel, medium to 

 large size, good quality, robust grower and enormously productive. A little too 

 soft to ship to distant markets is its only fault here. Whether the Van Deman will 

 take its place as an early berry will be seen another year. For late the Gandy is, 

 so far, the best, if it were only more productive. Otherwise it is perfection, firm, 

 handsome, perfect shape, large size, and the plant healthy and robust. If it were 

 productive it would be all one could ask. We planted last spring as in order named 

 in quantity of each, Beder Wood, Bubach, Haverland, Windsor Chief, Parker Earle, 

 Gandy, Capt. Jack, Jessie, Van Deman, Cumberland, Gov. Hoard, Barton's Eclipse. 

 Leader. Of the older ones we have discarded Crescent, Warfield, Sharpless and 

 Chas. Downing, and of the newer ones Felton, Crawford, Lovett's Early, Shus- 

 ter's Gem, Middlefield, Huntsman, Stevens, Tippecanoe. Great Pacific and some 

 others. While some of the latter were very fine, we did not consider them equal 

 or better than those we planted of the older varieties. Still, what suits us may not 

 suit elsewhere. 



PROTECTION. 



• 



This we consider a very important item; the strawberry needs protection 

 against the sudden changes and extreme cold in winter. In its natural or wild 

 state we find it growing among the fallen forest leaves and grass ; the latter dies 

 down and protects the plants during winter ; thus we must imitate nature as near 

 as we can. Various materials are used for mulching — leaves, evergreen boughs, 

 slough hay, corn-stalks, coarse manure, straw, etc, ; we use straw because it is 

 the cheapest and the easiest obtained. The last week in Novtmber or first in 

 December we generally do our mulching, using about eight loads of straw to the 

 acre, covering the entire surface thick enough to hide the plants and shade the 

 ground, and no thicker, for if put on too heavy and a mild wet winter follows, the 

 plants are liable to smother and rot. About the first week in April the straw is 

 raked oft" the plants and left lie between the rows to keep the fruit clean, hold 

 moisture and keep down weeds. All weeds appearing before fruit begins to ripen 

 are pulled out. 



RUST. 



We are sorry to say that we are not able to give any information regarding its 

 cause and effect, preventives, etc. ; have been troubled with it but little. Whether 

 to call it rust or blight that caused the trouble the past season we are unable to 

 say, but that wet weather was the cause of it this season we are certain. The 

 berries ceased to grow, were only half size, and the caps or calyx were either dry 

 or badly spotted ; many berries failed to ripen, drying up half grown. Bordeaux 



I 



