PROCEEDINGS OF THE ANNUAL MEETING 89 



must be perfectly straight to facilitate cultivating. Our beds are set 

 anew each spring and so is every variety. Vigorous new plants are dug, 

 trimmed, and put into a vessel containing water enough to keep the 

 roots wet, and are taken directly to the ground to be planted. The roots 

 are not allowed to become dry nor the plants to wilt. We still plant 

 v/ith a spade, and while there are perhaps better methods we are care- 

 ful to firm the earth about the plants, and the stand of plants has been 

 satisfactory. 



Cultivation is begun at once, after ])lanting is finished, and is done 

 only one way at present. The I'lanct Jr. twelve-tooth cultivator is used, 

 and* the slowest horse to be found, and there is but precious little of 

 the surface left unstirred when we are through. Cultivation is kept up 

 constantly through the season, and as soon as possible after every 

 shower. We are not above hoeing, and have not the faith to believe that 

 the best success in small-fruit growing is gained without the hoe's con- 

 stant use; but in the strawberry field our hoeing is done almost entirely 

 with a steel garden-rake. 



For the main crop, Bubach, Haverland, Warfield, Beder Wood, and 

 Burt are planted. Greenville, Splendid, Woolverton, Tennessee, and 

 Bisel are also among the best. Clyde, Glen Mar}-, W"m. Belt, and Enor- 

 mous are the most promising among later introductions. Clyde pro- 

 duced more fruit than any other of sixty varieties, and will be given con- 

 siderable room in our spring planting, as will Glen Mary. 



The question of marketing is the most serious one with which the 

 grower of small fruits in this county has to contend. Our county is 

 purely an agricultural region. There is not much of manufacturing, 

 nor any large city within our borders. Being centrally located we must 

 ship overland, and are at the mercy of freight without competition, and 

 express. With larger interests, co-operation of fruitgrowers may help 

 in this direction. A canning factory or evaporators at home might be 

 worth something. With cheap berries, our consumption at home would 

 be much larger, and require no small amount of berries to meet this 

 growing demand. But this will not suffice. There are many who would 

 engage in this industry if satisfied with the outlook for a proper market, 

 and whomsoever shall help us solve this problem will receive our ever- 

 lasting gratitude. 



DISCUSSION. 



Mr. Kellogg: You said 3"0u pushed the spade into the ground and 

 usually worked it a little to make it clear; if 3'ou notice, you get a 

 glazed surface there, practically a puddled surface; if it is a little too 

 wet you will puddle it. Now, you set a plant in that and leave it about 

 two days, then dig down to the side of it very carefully, and you will lind 

 that your polished clay surface has parted with its moisture, and you 

 will see some little, fine feeding-roots running down trying to find a crack 

 through which they can get to mellow earth just beyond. In setting 

 plants we have quite a gang of men. When you set forty acres of plants 

 it is quite a trick; we set forty acres last spring. I had a cast-iron 

 wedge made, and we just go along and strike that right into the ground. 

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