126 



CULTURE OF STRAWBERRIES. 



introduced, but prove perfectly hardy, and 

 have," in the very earliest stages of their 

 growth, a most graceful drooping habit. 

 The Hemlock, everybody knows, but com- 

 paratively few know how beautiful it is when 

 grown singly on a lawn. Its small Yew-like, 

 dark green foliage, and drooping slender 

 branches, make it one of the finest evergreen 

 trees. 



The Cryptomeria, or new Japan Cedar, 



has also drooping branches ; and if it only 

 prove hardy, it will be decidedly the most 

 graceful and elegant evergreen yet introduced. 

 I have a little tree, planted out a year ago- 

 last June ; it made all its growth late in the 

 season, but, with a thin straw covering, it 

 passed the winter safe, and is now growing 

 away — only too fast, I fear. Another winter 

 will decide. 



Mount Hope Garden and Nvrseries, 



Rochester, N. Y., Avgust 7th, 1850. 



STRA"WBERRIES— THEIR CULTURE, &c. 



BY W. E. HOOKER. ROCHESTER, N. Y. 



The season having now quite passed for the 

 enjoyment of this delicious fruit, it will per- 

 haps appear somewhat out of place to intro- 

 duce the subject at this time ; but as this is 

 the season when some persons prefer to make 

 their new beds, I wish to make a few obser- 

 vations upon the cultivation cf this beny, 

 (justly a general favorite,) while the recollec- 

 tion of their beautiful forms and colours is 

 quite distinct, and the taste of some fiivorite 

 varietief^ scarcely gone from my mouth. If 

 I shall thus induce some person, who has 

 previously failed in procuring a good crop, to 

 try again, with better success, I shall feel 

 amply re-paid for my trouble. 



In preparing the ground for planting, I do 

 not consider it necessary to expend as much 

 labor and manure as is commonly recom- 

 mended ; trenchinp", and the application of 

 very large quantities of manyre, is attended 

 with more expense than many are able or 

 ■willing to bestow, who would yet desire to 

 enjoy the bounties of nature in their season, 

 and who need not be deprived of them. As 

 fine a crop as I have ever seen was raised 

 upon soil only moderately rich, ploughed to 

 the depth of a few inches at the time cf 

 planting, and no manure applied ; but it re- 



tained moisture admirably, and, although 

 lying rather low, was not wet. The soil con- 

 sisted of a mixture of clay and gravel. 



If vcTT/ large, rather than high flavored 

 and excellent berries, are desired, resort must 

 be had to high manuring and deep cultiva- 

 tion. I have never seen a fine crop of straw- 

 berries on sandy ground. In such situations^ 

 they almost always lack ?7ioisiure at the time 

 of ripening. Soil in which there is a pretty 

 large proportion of clay, is preferable. 



The various methods of cultivation which 

 have been advocated by dificrent writers, have 

 all more or less merit; but their value de- 

 pends much upon the variety which is culti- 

 vated. Some sorts produce a great many 

 more runners than others ; and if these are 

 permitted to run together in beds, the plants 

 become so numerous that there is neither suf- 

 ficient moisture in the earth, nor a proper 

 amount of air and light upon the leaves to 

 matui'e the berries ; of course, the plants 

 wither and the fruit fails. Perhaps tlic culti- 

 vator declares this variety poor, and discards 

 it ; whereas, if he had cultivated the same in 

 rows, three feet apait, and mulched the 

 ground well between, the difference in the 

 product v/ould have convinced hiin, that the 



