METHODS OF PLANTING STRAWBERRIES. 139 



plant more firmly in the ground, the dirt packed the entire length 

 of the plant, by inserting the spade in the manner described than 

 in any other way without getting on my knees. Then with my foot 

 I throw the loose dirt back around the plant, but the dirt around the 

 roots will be packed firm. In regard to what has been said about 

 trimming: the last three or four seasons I have tried simple experi. 

 ments, leaving the leaves on and trimming them off in certain rows 

 and I know positively that the rows where the leaves were cut off 

 made a better growth and showed up in better shape than did the 

 rows where the leaves were left on. We have very dry weather and 

 very dry winds, and it exhausts the vitality of the plants to have the 

 leaves on before the roots are in condition to send up any nutriment. 



Mr. Sampson : I quite agree with Mr. Smith. I have used the 

 dibble and the spade. I believe the spade is the best thing to use 

 for firming around the roots. I have also tried the way suggested 

 by Mr. Latham and always have very good success. Then I have 

 also tried the plan of putting in the plants during a spell of rainy 

 weather, and at such times I have had quite a good success in letting 

 the leaves remain on the plant, but if it is as dry as it has been the 

 last three or four seasons I trim off all but a few leaves. 



Mr. Elliot: Has any one had experience planting strawberries 

 with a machine planter, such as is used in planting cabbage? 



Mr. Latham : I have heard the experience of men who used the 

 machine. It drops the plant and waters it at the same operation. 



San Jose Scale axd Dried Fruits.— Last summer Switzerland 

 shut out our dried fruits, claiming there was danger of the San Jose 

 scale being introduced through this medium. Exporters appealed 

 to the Department of State, which, acting upon the suggestion Of 

 the Department of Agriculture, authorized tests to determine the 

 validity of the Swiss claim. The U. S. entomologists conducted the 

 tests. Large lots of peaches, pears and apples infected with the 

 scale were tested by all known means of commercial drying, sun 

 drying, evaporation with and without sulphur, with the result that 

 each of these processes destroys the life of the scale. In the experi- 

 ments each scale was carefully watched for several weeks. After 

 the fruit was dried every scale upon every piece in the entire lot 

 was examined by the aid of powerful microscopes. In no instance 

 hadihe scale survived the process of drying, thus conclusively prov- 

 ing that dried fruits cannot propagate the scale. It is believed that 

 the results when presented to the Swiss government will result in 

 the removal of the embargo against our dried fruits. 



Severe Root Pruning Favored.— Although the horticulturist 

 of the Georgia Experiment Station declines to make any positive 

 statement concerning the advisabilit}'- of severe root pruning when 

 planting young trees, he says that he is fairly satisfied that peach 

 trees from which the roots have been largely cut off will live and 

 tlourish in Georgia even in stiff clay and under adverse weather 

 conditions. The same statement maj'- also be made of apple and 

 cherry trees. In some experiments made the last two years, he 

 found that the root-pruned trees made fewer, deeper, larger and 

 more robust roots. These roots penetrated l?)^ inches against 93^ 

 inches for the roots of unpruned trees. 



