38 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



I have planted a good many varieties, and now have several new- 

 ones which I am testing. 



The varieties that we do best with are as follows : The Creeent, 

 polanized with Downing ; Jessie, Mitchell and others. Sharpless, 

 Perfect, Biibach Ko. 5, polanized with Jessie, Captain Jack, Vandeman 

 and others ; Warfleld polanized with Captain Jack, Vandeman, Jessie 

 and others, and Bedarwood. The Gandy is the best late berry. The 

 Cresent is a rank grower, a good bearer, and the first few pickings are 

 large, fine berries, but the last are too small to ship for profit, so I 

 have discarded it. The Bubach is an abundant bearer of large and 

 fine berries through the season, and it is a medium good shipper. The 

 Jessie is irregular in size and ripens irregularly ; (will discard it.) 

 Captain Jack, Vandeman, Bedarwood and some others are used only^ 

 for polanizers. The Warfield is the best thus far — good size, dark 

 color, glassy and firm, heavy bearer and the best shipper. The Gandy 

 is the best late berry, and is large, of good shape, a strong plant and a 

 good bearer. The new varieties I will pass. 



Mr. Chairman, this is all I have to say about varieties in this paper.. 

 1 will give some of my experience and present a plan of growing the 

 strawberry. 



How I cultivate and manage the strawberry. I cultivate the land 

 thoroughly the year before planting; spread manure over the land in 

 the winter, 15 loads to the acre. I have plowed the present crop three 

 times and harrowed up to March 15, 1897. Marked it off 4x4j feet 

 with a small plow and set plants at the crosses. I plow to June 1st 

 once each week, then hoe and take off all runners and the blooms that 

 have been missed; will continue to plow both ways (deep) until the 

 runners begin to set freely, which will be about June 20. Will hoe 

 and layer the runners ; allow six and not over eight from each mother 

 plant. Layer the runners from the young plants until they almost 

 come together in the rows and layer each way of the rows to 20inches> 

 making the row 40 inches and leaving a passway 14 inches. The lay- 

 ers are placed from 6 to 10 inches apart, average 8 inches apart all 

 over the rows. Then allow no more runners to set, all others should 

 be taken off; hoe frequent1.y, keep down the weeds and grass and cut 

 oflf the runners; keep the plow going regularly as long as the runners, 

 are not in the way until about frost. In the winter mulch with straw 

 free from seeds. That used for bedding the stock in the barn is best. 



I have grown berries successfully in this way and expect to have 

 these five acres correct. The commercial berry-growers will readily 

 see the object of my plan. My plants will be large, have plenty of 

 room ; will produce a heavy crop of large, fine berries that will sell on 



