Summer Meeting, 59 



spongy condition. Cow-peas are good to help in this. We are 

 testing many ways, but have not gone far enough to give full re- 

 sults. Keep record of special plants. Keep runners to test bearing 

 qualities ; then take runners from the best and poorest and plant to 

 test what relation they bear to parent. Some good producing 

 plants do not have the power to reproduce in their runners. They 

 vary a great deal. Some plants produce eight and ten times as 

 much as others, and their runners produce some times the same as 

 parents, but may vary greatly in the runners from a grown plant. 

 Not only learn the plants good to produce, but those which also 

 reproduce the same good traits in their offspring. Some say there 

 is nothing in pedigreed plants, but we find certain plants that 

 produce in runners as good as the parent plant. Take two plants — 

 runners from one will be variable, some good and some not; the 

 ether one will cling to the parent traits. Comparatively few straw- 

 berry plants have this power fixed for true reproduction. Believe 

 that Mr. Tippin's plan is good for the large commercial grower. 

 If had opportunity to choose seasons, prefer July or August. Get 

 larger flower clusters, etc. We fmd the same thing in pansy plants. 

 Spring planting produces small flowers, while those planted in 

 August store up a large amount of plant food and will produce 

 larger blooms. Believe that in strong, well prepared soil can get 

 better results. This would hardly do for commercial planting, as 

 v/e cannot watch the plants so close. 



President Dutcher — Generally plant in August with us. One 

 season with another; would not plant in August in this high, ridgy 

 land. In Nelson's districts they roll the land the last thing. Can- 

 not do this here; would be losing moisture all the time, unless 

 followed with the harrow or shallow cultivator. It is the same 

 with field crops. We need to conserve the moisture by a dust 

 mulch. One man, when picking and finds a superior fruit stalk, 

 takes it up and sets it in a bed by itself. Plants from runners 

 made by these plants ; gets big results in production by this method. 

 If they are as good in quality or size as the parent, I do not know. 



Mr. Bledsoe — I have never prepared soil until I was ready to 

 set plants, and put out in early spring. Never have made a complete 

 failure. The nearest to one is this year, on account of the drouth. 

 As a rule, set in April and get a good stand. Plow and hoe from 

 the time they are set all through the summer, every week nearly. 

 Use a little garden plow and give shallow cultivation. Am not 

 getting even weeds this season. Keep in rows as long as can. As a 

 rule they mat in one season. Rows are five feet apart, plants 



