34 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, 



DISCUSSIONS AND REPORTS. 



STRAWBERRIES. 



Mr. R. M. Kellogg of Ionia: I confess to somewhat of liesitanc-y. lu 

 the line of aid to strawberry culture, any attempt to discuss the crop of 

 this year is rather a difficult matter. It has been a season of great disap- 

 pointment to all present depending upon the berry. We in Ionia have 

 nothing to report except disaster to the crop. We began with as bright 

 an outlook as we had had for years. Fi-om the time snow went off until 

 the 14th or 15th of May, we had no rain of any consequence, then we had 

 about four inches of snow, which stayed with us four days, and this was 

 followed by two hard frosts. After the smoke of the frost had cleared 

 away, we had the best of reasons for being hopeful, believing the frost 

 had done nothing more than relieve us of our surplus. But the berries 

 proved to be largely deformed, no doubt due to frosts. There is noth- 

 ing about this that should discourage strawberry-growers. They should 

 learn that tillage would tide them over the drought. Our spring set of 

 plants, those we gave proper tillage, are in good shape. The outlook for 

 the coming year as a whole is very good. Most of the people have learned 

 that these dry seasons are to be expected. On my own ground I have 

 never had better showing than at the present time. 



Q. Were the plants killed outright? 



Everything. Some patches have died out of each variety. Some resist 

 the attack of the frost more. I did not keep a sufficient record. I am 

 inclined to think Epping is one of the strongest varieties we have. War- 

 fields ran very small, and a great many of them did not develop. They 

 root deeper than Haverland. 



L, M. Palmer of Grand Rapids : Drought got the best of me all around. 

 I don't know that I have anything to say one way or the other. It is a dry 

 year, and that is the best of it. Bubach did the best of anything. I have 

 a little of everything in soil, f have a piece of Michigan. A great 

 many have considered that Epping was likely to be killed by frost. 

 I have heard a great many claim, if you want success, put it on sand. I 

 have had good success with it on sand, and have also had nothing. There 

 is something strange about my patch. It is reasonably moist, and yet 

 berries lie right there and burn up. What I supposed would keep the 

 moisture best were the Warfields, but they were the first to dry up. 



Q. Did you mulch your berries with straw? 



A. I did not, until I thought there was going to be a frost, and those 

 that I covered with straw did not have as many berries as those I did not 

 I uncovered them early in the morning. 



Q. Have you any theories as to what caused those you mulched not to 

 be as good as those you didn't mulch? 



A. Not unless we cultivated those we mulched more than we did those 

 we didn't. 



Mr. Morrill: I would like to ask Mr. Palmer if he has found it good 

 practice to cultivate the vines he is going to fruit. 



