SUMMER MEETING. 49 



market, but if we can establish a grade and enforce it we will make 

 more money and all be treated fair and all alike. 



By Mr. Murray — I think the papers on this subject were excellent 

 and the discussions also were good. I want to emphasize a point or two 

 about growing strawberries, and oae thing is to prepare the land a year 

 before planting, and then in fertilizing and in using barnyard manure 

 it, should be composted to avoid getting your land covered with clover 

 seed. I believe in subsoiling, or where the subsoil is deep and should 

 not be turned up, then loosen it and let it lay. Land for strawberries 

 should be nearly level and free from water, and should be where water 

 don't have to pass over it, and then high land is free from white frost. 

 I have found that an advantage is derived from mixing varieties 

 closely. I have alternated the plants in the rows, every other one a 

 different variety, and in that bed so far I have not found an imperfect 

 berry. The Crescents are holding up tine. The Mitchell's Early was 

 spoken of, and I want to say that in Holt county, in the deep black 

 loam it is not worth anything at all. I stopped down at Olden and I 

 found that where they have that fine red clay and more or less rocks, 

 that the Mitchell's Early did well. Then I planted some Mitchell's 

 Eirly on some hilly land, somewhat yellow, and this year 1 picked 

 some fine berries. I picked the first ones about the 18th of May; 

 that shows the difference in the time of ripening. 



There is one other point I wish to speak of, and that is in regard 

 to mulching and covering strawberries, and I will say in putting on 

 the mulch always be careful to get straw' or whatever you use free 

 from weeds. If your land is free from weeds one year and then you 

 take care and don't put on anything with weed-seed, you will find it 

 much better, and then you can make part of your plants two or three 

 weeks later by not uncovering at the same time. I tried it with ber- 

 ries mulched and berries not mulched, and the berries not mulched 

 were from a week to two weeks earlier than those that were mulched. 



Now in regard to the Warfield, I agree with nearly ever.y thing 

 that has been said this morning; the Warfield is a great favorite of 

 mine. Some one spoke of the advantage of high, dry ground. We 

 must not forget that strawberries need to be set well with water, and 

 yet they will not stand in wet land, but land that is well drained. 



I cannot agree with Mr. Murray about mixing up his fer- 

 tilizers in the rows. It may do in a home patch, but when it comes to 

 picking berries for shipping, we don't want everything mixed up in the 

 same box ; it won't do for market. We want straight goods ; if we 

 want a box of one kind we want it all that kind. It is just like out in 

 H — 4 



