Summer Meeting. 23 



but the size of the fruit is variable; a fairly good shipper, but more 

 highly regarded for home use and local market than for shipping ; plant 

 a good grower. Texas, is a new variety, not thoroughly tested as yet 

 but very highly regarded by those who have tried it in South Missouri, 

 notably at the Experiment Station at Mountain Grove. Wild Wonder 

 is a new sort, said by its introducers to be able to grow in bluegrass sod ; 

 under cultivation our plants are vigorous but have not been allowed to 

 fruit as yet. 



LaPlata, Mo., June, 1904. 

 Hon. L. A. Goodman, St. Louis, Mo. : 



Dear sir : — I enclose paper as requested, I trust you will have a 

 profitable meeting and assure you I would be glad to meet with you 

 but it is impossible. We have promise of a great crop of strawberries. 

 They are just beginning to ripen and need more sunshine than we are 

 having. Raspberries and blackberries also promise full crop. Cherries 

 and plums, 75 per cent. Keififer and Garber pears full. Duchess blos- 

 somed full as they do every year but no fruit. Why is it they don't bear ? 

 Apples promise 75 per cent crop. Ben Davis 90 per cent. Think I shall 

 girdle all my York and M. B. Twig as a few that I girdled last year 

 are the only trees with fruit this year. Am disappointed as the trees 

 are 9 years old and have never produced any fruit ; while Ben Davis, 

 same age, have produced three crops. Can't compete for any of the 

 premiums as fruit is not ripe enough to send. 



J. E. May. 



GROWING FANCY STRAWBERRIES. 



(J. E. May, of La Plata, Mo.) 



In growing fancy strawberries there are several things that must 

 be observed to make the undertaking a success. The first requisite is 

 good land well prepared. If not naturally fertile, then the fertility must 

 be supplied by giving a good coat of well-rotted stable manure, say 20 

 to 30 loads per acre. This should be applied at least a year in advance 

 of setting the plants and plowed under. The land should be thoroughly 

 cultivated during the following summer in some hoed crop, such as early 

 potatoes or beans, and after the crop is off plow again, not too deep, and 

 sow to rye thickly. This will give a good cover crop for winter if sown 

 by September i, and will also give any weed seed a chance to germinate, 

 thus making the cultivation of the berry plants a much easier matter. 



