Slimmer Meeting. 21 



Mr. Tippiii — Leaves or prairie hay are good, the latter has not as 

 much seed as the wheat straw. Cornstalks also make a splendid mulch 

 and good fertilizer. 



L. A. Goodman — What about cow peas sown in August for a 

 mulch ? 



j\Ir. Evans — We have never tried them, but they might be good. 



Mr. Tippin — Generally we use more mulch than is necessary. We 

 should just cover the ground with a sprinkle of straw ; it is not for the 

 plants but for clean beriies, to keep them out of the sand and dirt- 

 Mr, Evans — If the straw is full of weeds, grass, etc., it pollutes the 

 ground so that we can hardly pick the berries and then we have to plow 

 the fields. 



P. K. Silvester — Sugar cane is a fine fertilizer, grows as fine as 

 wheat, and shoulder high and is as good as wheat straw. Cut it before 

 the seeds manure and put it on thin. 



C. H, Dutcher — Sow it the latter part of May, sow. thick, two 

 bushels to the acre. 



Pres, Whitten — The cane leaves the field clean and is therefore 

 good, so say the best strawberry growers. 



C. H. Dutcher — Is it necessary when you have good plants to trim 

 off the roots? 



Mr. Sylvester — It saves time to have shorter roots when setting the 

 plants. Leave the roots four inches or one-third of the entire length. 



STRAWBERRIES : NOTE ON THE VARIETIES. 



(W. L. Howard, Assistant Professor of Horticulture, Columbia, Mo.) 



Some of the varieties I mention may not seem new to some of you 

 but they are not the old standard sorts and have not been widely grown. 

 The reports given are taken from notes on our experimental beds at 

 the station and from reports from growers in various parts of the state. 



The Aroma is a late or medium season berry and already quite a 

 general favorite. This is about the only variety grown in the vicinity 

 of 'Neosho where there are six hundred and fifty acres now in bearing 

 and it has proved to be entirely satisfactory and profitable. It is large 

 in size, firm, of good color and fine shape, but not of first quality. 



Barton's Eclipse, is a medium season berry of good quality but too 

 soft to ship. Bisel, is a prolific bearer, the fruit ranging from medium 

 to large, is of good quality but slightly soft; a good home berry. The 



