STRAWBERRIES AND THEIR CULTURE. 



sustain leaves and branches, is of course proportioned to the resources of its roots. If, 

 now, we graft a pear tree upon it, whose range of limbs, and of course, of leaves and 

 fruit, is large, and which is provided by nature with corresponding roots, extending deep 

 into the earth, securing firmness to the trunk and moisture to the leaves, without b}- some 

 artificial means, providing for this disproportion of parts, we must inevitabl}' fail of full 

 success. 



In proof of this, we find that those who have planted dwarf pears in grass grounds, 

 without giving them further care, and those who grow them in rich, well cultivated soil, 

 but neglect to diminish the tops sufficiently to enable the quince roots to sustain the tree 

 firmly, as well as those who have allowed their healthy and beautiful pyramids to sup- 

 port an enormous load of fruit while yet in infancy, thereby so exhausting its energy that 

 two or three years nursing becomes necessary, before it is again useful, are not usually 

 very strong advocates for pyramid, or dwarf trees; their own experience, certainly, would 

 not warrant them in recommending their adoption, and if this were the best that could be 

 expected of them, all men would agree, that the less we see of them the better we shall 

 be off. 



The obvious methods of avoiding the evils which I have pointed out, are, to secure to 

 the plant a sufficient supply of food, by manuring more highly and frequently than we 

 find necessary for the pear stock, by planting in such soils as do not suffer severely from 

 drouth, by frequent stirring of the soil with spade or hoe, and most especiall}'^ by abun- 

 dant mulching; added to this it is indispensible, to reduce the size of the top, by pruning 

 in the winter or spring, and also in some cases during the summer, though I apprehend 

 we shall not in many instances, do so, with that care and patience which M. Cappe, and 

 other eminent foreigners have seen fit to bestow on their pets. 



One thing is certain, the man who is not willing to pay some regard to the peculiarities 

 of the position in which the pear is placed when worked upon quince, need not expect to 

 gather as abundantly and continually, as some men do, who have never given a thought 

 to their noble Bartletts and Doyennes beyond stripping from their laden boughs, the 

 luscious fruits, with which nature has crowned the year. But to the good cultivator who 

 can afford to spare an hour, now and then, to care for the wants of his silent laborers, 

 there is an abundant and sure reward laid up, in the vigor, beauty and productiveness of 

 this class of trees. H. E. Hooker. 



STRAWBEPcRIES AND THEIR CULTURE. 



BY A. GERARD HULL, NEWBURGII, N. Y. 



Having experimented during the past three years with more than fifty varieties of 

 strawberries, the conclusions reached may possibly benefit neophytes who fancy this de- 

 licious fruit. The soil — a clay loam with a hardpan subsoil — was deeply trenched — three 

 and four feet — and richly manured. ■ 



1. Trenching — deep trenching — in this locality cannot be too earnestly commended. 

 Its value may be fully illustrated in a dry season by comparing the crops of trenched and 

 untrenched ground. 



2. Animal manures can be abundantly used in trenched ground in safety, whether neAV 

 horse, cow or poudrette, &c. 



Moisture is an essential element in developing size and flavor. 



