372 State Horticultural Society. 



In growing- an orchard, the grower may be well adapted to the vo- 

 cation of horticulture, the location be all that could be desired, the soil, 

 climate conditions and storage facilities be peculiarly well adapted to the 

 business, yet when that orchard fills up with a large amount of that high 

 grade fruit of which he has heard so much, there will appear before him 

 (like Banquo's ghost at the feast) the appalling apparition of exhorbi- 

 tant freight rates. 



A cheap and quick transportation to markets, which is the same 

 thing as nearness to market, materially increases the earning capacity of 

 an orchard by placing the apples on the markets where the demand is 

 the greatest. 



SATURDAY, 2 P. M. 



STRAWBERRIES AND STONE FRUITS. 



BEST MODE OF PLANTING AND GROWING STRAWBER- 

 RIES. 



(R. F. George, Pierce City, Mo ) 



Since we are located about the center of the strawberry district of 

 Southwest Missouri, where commercial strawberry growing is exten- 

 sively carried on, we shall discuss the subject assigned us from the 

 standpoint of a commercial grower of this particular district. 



To begin with, a moderately rich, gravelly soil should be selected, 

 with a gentle slope to the east or southeast. These slopes are to be 

 preferred, though level land, or land sloping gently to the south, will 

 do very well. By moderately rich soil we mean a soil that will grow 

 good corn or potatoes. In planting late varieties, as the Aroma, a 

 south to southeast slope is very important to us, as it brings them on 

 more nearly with the mid-season varieties, and thus enables us to 

 market them before the berries from the North are ripe. 



We must aim to use the market period, from about May 20 to 

 Jime 10, if we would avoid congested markets and low prices. The 

 planting season is early spring, and the earlier the better, as a rule, 

 for the reason that plants set early get a good growth before the hot, 

 dry weather comes, when it is difficult to get a good stand, which is 

 absolutely necessary to insure a good average crop. In order to plant 

 early, the ground should be plowed in the late fall or early winter. It 



