1878.1 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



307 



or three times a clay ; if allowed to remain long 

 in the same place the birds become accustomed 

 to them and they are useless. I succeeded in 

 seeming; the fruit in excellent condition. 



ALEXANDER, AMSDEN'S JUNE, AND EARLY 

 BEATRICE PEACHES. 



BY R. J. BLACK, BREMKX, FAIRFIELD, CO., O. 



The first two are ripening now, July 4th, 

 They began June 28tli. Early Beatrice is fol- 

 lowing close, but is behind; and it is much 

 more behind the former two in size and attrac- 

 tiveness, than in time of ripening. We relin- 

 quish it without regret, since we have Alexan- 

 der, and Amsden's June. We cannot do with- 

 out either of these, though they are very much 

 alike, both in tree and fruit. Glands globose, 

 and flowers large ; the same in both. Alexan- 

 der has probably somewhat the advantage in 

 size, while Anisden may be the greater bearer. 

 Not that Alexander is at fault in this latter re- 

 spect ; but Amsden is a profuse bearer, requir- 

 ing thinning. Yet in another season this ma}' 

 be reversed. Both are of good size, very at- 

 tractive, and of " very good" quality. They 

 are from original som'ces, and undoubtedly true 

 to name. 



For latitude SO"^ 40', fine ripe Peaches the first 

 week in July is certainly a long step in advance 

 of twenty-five years ago, when the writer had 

 fairly begun to collect fruits. 



CULTJVATIOM OF THE STRAWBERRY, 



BY V. BARRY. 



To rultivate the Strawberry for family use, we 

 recommend planting in beds four feet wide, with 

 an alley two feet wide between. These beds will 

 accommodate three rows of plants, Avhich may 

 stand fifteen inches apart each way, and the out- 

 side row nine inches from the alley. These beds 

 can be kept clean, and the fruit can be gathered 

 from them without setting the feet upon them. 

 We find from experience that no more conven- 

 ient mode can be adopted than this. The ground 

 should be well prepared by trenclnng or plowing 

 at least eighteen to twenty inches deep, and be 

 properly enriched as for any garden crop. 



The season for planting depends upon circum- 

 stances. It may be done with safety from the 

 time the plants begin to grow in the Spring, un- 1 

 til they are in blossom. And again in the Fall 

 from the time the young plants are sufficiently | 

 rooted, until the freezing of the ground. It is ; 

 well, however, to plant at a time when the plants 



will at once commence growing. If in warm, 

 dry, weather, as August or September, it is 

 necessary to water the ground thoroughly be- 

 fore planting, and then to shade the plants until 

 they have begun to root. The culture subse- 

 quent to planting consists in keeping the ground 

 among the plants clear of weeds, and frequently 

 stirred with a hoe or fork, to keep the runners 

 closely pinched until after the fruit is gathered; 

 and to mulch the ground among the plants be- 

 fore the fruit begins to ripen, with two inches 

 deep of cut straw or short grass mowings from 

 the lawn, or any thing of that sort, to keep the 

 fruit clean and the ground from ch-ying. In ex- 

 posed situations or where the winters are severe, 

 with little snow for protection, a slight covering 

 of leaves or litter will be of great service. This 

 can be raked off and the beds di-essed at the open- 

 ing of the growing season. Abed managed in 

 this way will give two full crops, and should 

 then be spaded down, a new one having been in 

 the meantime prepared to take its place. 



For field culture, the same directions with re- 

 gard to soil, time of planting, mulching, as given 

 above for garden culture are applicable when 

 planting on a large scale. We usually plant in 

 rows three feet apart and the plants a foot to a foot 

 and a half apart in the row. In this case most 

 of the labor is performed with horse and culti- 

 vator. 



THE DYEHOUSE CHERRY. 



BY R. J. BLACK, BRE31£2s, OHIO. 



I In my short note, at foot of page 240, August 

 number, which you kindly copy, the second 

 word should be send instead of " saw ;" and 

 at the top of next page (241) second line, the 

 word " kind" should be pit. The sentence will 

 then read : " You will notice the pit isvery small, 

 exceeding even Shannon in this respect." The 

 fruit itself is of medium size. I observe that 

 another competent authority, " Notes from the 

 Pines " [American AtjricuUvrist, August, 1878, 

 page 302, 1st column), is also well pleased with 

 the fruit, considering it superior to " Early 

 Richmond," than which it is '* a week or ten 

 days earlier." His young trees, received sev- 

 eral years ago from " a gentleman in Tennes- 

 see " and not "' six or eight feet high, were 

 fiiirly filled " with the fruit. The success of this 

 fine Morello in Eastern New York, Central Ohio, 

 Kentucky and Tennessee, is certainly notc- 

 worthv. 



