SMALL FRUITS IN DODGE COUNTY. 187 



less than those exposed without shelter. Red sorts are a nuisance in 

 an orchard and caunot be controlled by plowing out unnecessary 

 suckers. 



BLACKBERRIES. 



Blackberries have yielded very little fruit for two years. Drouths 

 and frosts have killed many of the plants and all the fruit. We find 

 by experience they should be planted on the lowest ground, or where 

 they can have sufficient moisture. The Snyder canes will usually 

 stand the severest winters if the roots are in moist soil. 



JUNEBERRIES. 



Juneberries yielded an immense crop of juicy, plump berries. 

 Neither drouth nor frosts of May seem to have had any injurious effect 

 on them. They always yield a crop, and no variety of fruit is so 

 easily cared for or yields so much very good fruit for the amount of 

 labor spent on them. They are emphatically the lazy man's fruit, and 

 their existence renders the laziest man without excuse for not having 

 plenty of fruit. 



CURRANTS AND GOOSEBERRIES. 



The frosts of May curtailed the crops of these fully one-half. All 

 sorts seemed to yield equally well and were equally injured by the 

 frosts. The young plants of Fay's Prolific yield better than the old 

 plants. The quality of fruit is fine, but the bushes are short-lived 

 and of inferior growth. The North Star is prolific and a vigorous, 

 grower, but the berries are not as large as we would wish. 



GRAPES. 



For two years the grape blossoms have been killed by frosts, and 

 many of the vines, three to ten years old, have been killed by drouth 

 and winter freezing. Many of the vines now alive grow feebly. All 

 varieties have suffered, though some sorts more than others. Planters 

 are discouraged about grape growing and are disposed to invest but 

 little in this fruit. As drouth more than freezing is to blame for 

 this heavy loss of vines, we must seek the most successful method of 

 overcoming this difficulty. We would recommend thorough cultiva- 

 tion during the summer and irrigation if possible, when needed in 

 summer and fall, and mulching of the ground during fall and winter. 

 The roots should freeze up in moist earth and tops be covered, after 

 pruning, with mulching or earth. 



