6- STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 



This preparation of the food in the leaves can not be accomplished 

 without the sunlight. Although a plant be properly supplied with food, 

 it would starve to death by standing in the dark, and can only make 

 a feeble growth in moderate shade. We should therefore only have as 

 many plants to the acre as will permit every leaf and bud to come into 

 contact with sunlight. 



A series of careful experiments has shown that strong fruit buds will 

 not form unless the sun shines on them. Hence the best results are 

 obtained by giving each plant sufficient space so that its foliage does 

 not interfere with another plant. 



Hill culture may be said to be a process of consolidating several small 

 plants into one large plant and many small berries into one large berry. 

 When we cut a runner the strength of the plant goes to the formation 

 of a new crown and fruit bud; and thus, by cutting runners as fast as 

 they appear, we may build up a plant to a wonderful size and give a 

 surprising fruitage. The ground must be very rich, and high culture 

 given, to secure best results by the hill method. Plants should be as 

 close together as possible and yet give needed sunlight and facilities 

 for cultivating and gathering the fruit. If the horse used for cultivating 

 will walk in a narrow row, set as near together as 30 inches, and eight- 

 een inches in the row. If desired in check-row, set 30x30 and cultivate 

 each way. 



The hedge row will probably produce better results with the average 

 grower, and is commended in all cases where ideal conditions can not 

 be had. Let rows-be 30 to 36 inches apart, and plants from 20 to 30 inches 

 apart in the row, according to vigor of variety. Keep off all runners until 

 about July 1, wiien weed seeds will have all germinated and been 

 destroyed by the cultivator. Then let the runners grow and let the 

 cultivator go the same way each time and throw them around straight in 

 the row, so as to make a hedge one plant wide. Then attach the rolling 

 runner-cutter to the cultivator. This machine raises the leaves and 

 clips off the runners as they appear, without extra labor, and enables 

 you to destroy all weeds and conserve moisture by cultivating almost 

 the entire surface of the ground, saving hand weeding and maintaining 

 a steady growth during any drouth that may occur. The alley furnishes 

 abundant root pasturage and sunlight, and the plants will build them- 

 selves up to large i)roportions. They should be kept thinned to six or 

 eight inches in the row. 



The half matted row is the same, except that rows should be set about 

 forty inches apart, and runners are allowed to form until they are from 

 ten to fifteen inches wide. Plants should stand from eight to ten inches 

 apart, so they have root pasturage and sunlight. 



Probably three fourths of the berries are grown in the full matted row, 

 but it is a mistake, and ])rogressive growers are fast finding it out. It in- 

 volves an immense amount of hard labor in pulling out grass and weeds, 

 which is not required in hill culture or the hedge row. The fruit is always 

 of a lower grade, and rarely more than two crops can be taken off before 

 the field should be plowed under. Make rows four feet apart and set 

 jtlauls tweuly inches apait in the row. If land is not very rich, set them 

 closer together. Let the cultivator go in the same direction every time, 

 so as to throw the runners around without tangling them, and, as they 

 root, nai'i'ow up the cultivator. Some careful growers thin out the 



