FRUIT-CULTURE. 289 



Question. Do you know any thing about Burr's Mam- 

 moth ? 



Mr. Slade. I do not. 



Mr. . I saw that at Norfolk, at Mr. Young's place, 



and he recommended it as the best variety. It was certainly 

 a very large berry, and made a magnificent show. If any one 

 wants a new variety, I would just say that that is a berry 

 that has the recommendation of such a man as Mr. Young. 



Question. Why do you adopt the matted system ? 

 ^ Mr. Slade. One reason is, that I can get more berries 

 from the matted system than I can from keeping them in 

 rows or hills. 



Capt. MooEE. Would that not depend on the variety 

 somewhat ? 



Mr. Slade. Yes, sir, I think it would. I was thinking of 

 the Wilson when I answered that question. If I was going 

 to raise the Jucunda, or the Great American, or the General 

 Sherman, or any large berry, I would raise them in hills. A 

 large berry requires pretty high culture. 



Question. Do you think it is money-making business to 

 raise strawberries at eight cents a box in hills? 



Mr. Slade. I don't think it is. I think there is other 

 business that would pay as well as raising strawberries at 

 eight cents a quart. 



Mr. Shaw. I do not know any better berry to eat than 

 the Cutter. I think, as Mr. Slade say§, that the Wilson is 

 one of the best berries, if you let it ripen. After you 

 get through picking your crop of Wilsons, if you will go out 

 into your field two or three daj^s later, you will find some 

 splendid berries, as fine as you ever ate. They are acid at 

 that time, but it is an acid that will accommodate itself to 

 your system. But when we pick the Wilson to carry to 

 market, it is like some of the peaches that come from the 

 South : they are not fit to eat ; they are not half ripe. They 

 do not taste like the peaches that we pick up under our 

 trees, because they cannot let them ripen on the trees at all ; 

 and you cannot ship a strawberry and have it perfectly ripe. 



Mr. Slade. There are a good many kinds of strawberries 

 that are splendid berries under a high state of cultivation ; 

 but tliey are almost worthless if raised without high cultiva- 

 tion. For common farmers to raise, as a field-crop, they are 

 almost worthless. 



