144 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 



GROWING STRAWBERRIES FROM SEED. 



By C. H. Chambi-;kl.\i.\. AlASSACHLSiiXTS. 



To those desiring something interesting and with 

 great variation in results, let them try growing straw- 

 berries from seed. First start with some definite ob- 

 ject in view. As an example, 1 will give the results of 

 one of our experiments along this line. Our object in 

 doing this was to obtain, if possible, a vigorous grow- 

 ing, large, everbearing, nice flavored strawberry. In 

 1906 we planted side by side the Marshall and Pan 

 American varieties, allowing the bees to do the fer- 

 tilizing of the blossoms. The following season we 

 saved tlie best berries from the Pan American plants, 

 sowing the same in August in boxes of one-third peat, 

 one-third garden soil, one-third sharp sand, sifting the 

 same and covering the seed lightly, keeping the same 

 under glass with plenty of moisture, and keeping them 

 over winter in the green-house, planting into the open 

 ground in May. Most of these plants, about 2,000 in 

 number, produced berries the second season. Results 

 were we had berries like both parents. We had straw- 

 berries large, small, good flavored and poor, one crop, 

 two crop, and all season bearing, and some that never 

 bore at all. Some put on plenty of runners, others n()t 

 any. 



.\fter several years' discarding we have three va- 

 rieties left ; all are vigorous growers, one bearing two 

 crops in a season of large nice flavored berries, and 

 producing a few runners ; one bearing three crops in 

 a season of large perfect berries of a tart, wood}- 

 flavor producing a quantity of runners. The other, 

 wdiich we have named Ideal, a vigorous grower bear- 

 ing in quantity all the season from June 15 to freezing, 

 large perfect berries of a strong wild strawberry 

 flavor and producing a great quantity of runners. This 

 variety we intend to introduce soon. This berry 

 (Ideal) received a first class certificate of merit from 

 the Massachusetts Horticultural Society at Boston, in 

 August last. While we have never tried forcing any 

 of these varieties under glass, we have every reason 

 to believe it would be a success. Growing strawber- 

 ries from seed has been the most interesting cultural 

 experience I have ever had, and at small expense. 



GROWING CANTALOUPES. 



After a thorough preparation of the soil (almost 

 any soil well drained and not sour) by deep plowing 

 and an unlimited amount of harrowing, mark the land 

 off at riglit angles, six feet apart each w-ay, making 

 holes at intersecting points about 15 inches in diame- 

 ter and 5 inches in depth. Into these holes place about 

 one-half shovelful of well-rotted stable manure, pref- 

 erably horse, or horse and cow mixed, then cover 

 lightly with earth, scatter about 25 melon seeds, cov- 

 ering these with one or more inches of earth, and pat 

 down lightly with hoe. 



It has been, of late years, a weather gamble regard- 

 ing these early outdoor plantings, as to whether the 

 seed will germinate or not, and, to overcome this 

 trouble, a successful grower for the hotel trade re- 

 lating his experience in the Market Grou'ers' Journal 

 says, he now resorts to the greenhouse planting the 

 seeds in strawberry baskets or dirt bands, during the 

 latter days of April and transplanting to the field 

 about June 1. By using ordinary care in having com- 

 posted soil in baskets damp clear to the bottoms, he 

 removes them without disturbing roots in the least, 

 setting out acres of them very rapidly and seldom 

 losing a plant. 



He makes two thinnings, the last time leaving but 



three ])lants in a hill and when the main stems of vines 

 are 12 to 15 inches high nip the ends, leaving four to 

 six laterals or side branches to come, a sufficient num- 

 ber to carry all the fruit the vines are able to properly 

 develop. He prunes again the ends of these laterals 

 when their growth becomes rank, thereby hastening 

 the fruit to maturity. 



Everything possible should be done for the quick 

 growth of the vine. A teaspoonful nitrate of soda is 

 scattered around each hill — not on plants — when 

 melon vines are 4 to 6 inches high ; frequent stirring 

 of top soil one or two inches deep to aerate soil and 

 conserve moisture, as well as to keep down weeds, is 

 very necessary. Before the vines commence to run 

 much it is advisable to spread on a good coat of high- 

 grade fertilizer, rich in phosphoric acid, along the 

 rows between plants, and harrow in with cultivator. 



A very important thing, and one that this grower 

 has never seen done outside of his own grounds, is to 

 go through vines when melons average the size of a 

 cocoanut or thereabouts, and turn each one upside 

 down, that is as large as an orange or larger, ^^^hen 

 this is not done the louver half is not as thick fleshed 

 as the upper one. is softer and ripens first, is liable to 

 rot and the shell may be penetrated by crickets and 

 wireworms. Turning them over and exposing all 

 parts alike to the sun adds also both to flavor and ap- 

 pearance. 



He never picks melons till they part naturally from 

 the vines, indicated by the cracking of the fruit around 

 the stem, nature's way of telling us when they are 

 weaned. 



VALUE OF LIQUID MANURE. 



AMien the ground is thoroughly moistened to a con- 

 siderable depth liquid manure may with advantage be 

 applied to the roots of fruit-trees. The reason for 

 this is that the soil, being full of moisture, it acts as 

 a filter, so to speak, arresting and holding in suspen- 

 sion the manurial constituents present in the liquid 

 while the residue or water passes on down to the sub- 

 soil. If applied in sufficient quantity to thoroughly 

 sattirate the ground beneath the trees, the soil then 

 becomes considerably enriched, and the roots will, in 

 turn, benefit to a large extent thereby. It should not 

 be applied indiscriminately or to all trees alike, as it 

 in some cases — for instance, trees full of vigor — 

 would do more harm than good. Trees that do bene- 

 fit by its application are such as make weak growth, 

 and those which are in full bearing, while for trees 

 that have, as a result of heavy and continuous crop- 

 ping, begun'to exhibit signs of exhaustion by a falling 

 off both in the size and quality of the fruit, it acts as 

 a wonderful restorative. Unless the liquid is very 

 strong — in which case dilution is necessary — it can, 

 now that the trees are, as far as growth is concerned, 

 resting, be used as taken from the tank. 



Not only should trees in the garden be given such 

 attention, but it should be extended to those in the 

 orchard, especially when the latter is in grass. In 

 every case the liquid should be applied to as far as the 

 branches of each individual tree extend, and sufficient- 

 ly so that the soil is well saturated. If any difficulty 

 in getting the liquid to sink in is experienced bore 

 holes 2 feet deep and some 18 inches apart. On slo- 

 ping groimd the soil must be ridged up on the lower 

 side to prevent the liquid running to waste. In some 

 cases a kind of basin formed round the tree is also 

 necessar}' to ensure the liquid reaching the roots. — 

 Exchange. 



