PEDIGREE STRAW r.F.l^RV PLANTS. 



193 



As soon as the ground freezes in the fall, start covering the 

 propagating beds to prevent the alternate freezing and thawing, 

 which often damages plants. Coarse marsh hay will be found an 

 excellent covering. While strawberry plants may often winter 

 through without covering, it pays to put on a covering every year, 

 even at a large expense. 



All of these little details must be carried out to get the best 

 results vear after year in the growing of high grade strawberry 

 plants. 



Strawterry Field on Fruit F'arm of B. T. Hoyt. 



Mr. B. M. Tesseni : I would like to ask whether plants covered 

 with straw about the first of November will do well. Is that too 

 early ? 



Mr. Hoyt : I don't think so unless covered toO' deeply. 



Mr. R. A. Wright : How does Mr. Hoyt know that these plants 

 picked out are good breeders and are going to be good yielders? He 

 takes the plants before they fruit, he does not know yet whether 

 they are going to be productive the following year. I would like 

 to know the process by which he figures it out. 



Mr. Hoyt : The way that can be overcome is by allowing a few 

 berries to mature on the original plants to see what they are, and 

 if they are not up to the standard throw them out. We propagated 

 from a number of dififerent specimens to get our original plants, 

 which we start in a small way, and as fast as we see that a plant is 

 not up to the standard we throw it out and do not propagate from it 

 any further ; so we know when we get our plants started they will 

 produce the proper shaped berries, ^s near the ideal type as we can 

 get. There are no two exactlv the same, but thev resemble one 

 another verv closelv. 



