90 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 



We have quite a gang of men on the farm at that season of the year, 

 and I teach them to do these things by drill. In setting strawberry 

 plants most men make just two motions extra. I do not use a spade, 

 I was going to say. If I did use a spade I would require every man to 

 put his hand in and rub that glazed surface all off. Never set a straw- 

 berry plant on a glazed surface, whatever you do. In setting the plants 

 we allow the men to make three motions; if a man can not learn to set 

 them with three motions he can not set plants. We discharge lots of 

 men right out of the field. In the first place, the plants are dropped 

 in front of them. We do not allow them to lie there a minute. We have 

 tin cans made purposely for putting them in water just before we set 

 them. We require them to be taken up by the crown. I want the men 

 to pick them up right the first time, and learn to do that right along, 

 so that the roots are all spread out, and then put in two handfuls of 

 dirt, no more — they must fill up with two. I do not allow them to move 

 the plants an inch more than they are obliged to. Draw a finger right 

 through, so as to clean the dirt away from the crown and leave a little 

 hump of dirt on the other side; then we have men following right along 

 who step on those little piles of dirt and press down firmly, so that these 

 little feeders can start right out at once. Mr. Brook said he cultivated 

 at once. We will do a strawberry patch more damage to let it stand on a 

 hot day two hours than a person begins to realize. We have a horse right 

 there and we cultivate immediately — do not even wait two hours. When 

 the ground has been pressed about the plant, perfect capillary action has 

 been established, and the hot sun will injure the plants more in two 

 hours than it can do in three days if you cultivate at once. Do not cul- 

 tivate over a half inch deep. You will see 3'our plant begin to grow 

 right away, and it will keep that up all through the season. Mr. Brook 

 speaks about the use of hen manure. That is a valuable fertilizer, but 

 more plants are injured by it than it does good, if you put it on in that 

 way. I would put hen manure on at least a month before setting and 

 I would let it wash out. You must not use strong hen manure. I will 

 undertake to say, if you take hen manure and put it on after the plants 

 are set, or just before, without being diluted, it will burn the roots. 

 You must go slow on hen manure all the way through. It is a grand 

 fertilizer, but that is where the trouble is; it is too strong when undi- 

 luted. I have come to the conclusion, through my experience, that you 

 do not want an^^ little berries; they are a damage to you, and you do not 

 want them. There is a little apparatus that goes right along and shears 

 the runners right off. The distance to set your rows apart usually de- 

 pends on your horse. Some horses will spread out over two rows, as 

 they walk, and others walk out straight. We set our rows closely to- 

 gether and use that roller or cutter and cut off the runners; that throws 

 Ihe strength back, makes additional crowns and deeper roots, and you 

 will get all big berries and be able to fruit your bed longer. Do not for- 

 get to mulch your berries. My teams are drawing straw now on the 

 forty acres, and every acre will be covered with straw right away. The 

 best thing you can do is to mulch your strawberries in the winter, 

 I do not care if it is sandy land. I have some good sand that we will 

 put that mulch on. 



Mr. Brook: Will Mr. Kellogg please explain how he uses hen manure? 



Mr. Kellogg: Well, I would do one of two things, if I were going to 



