172 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



If we cannot do all we would, we can at least have good seed 

 thoughts for another generation. Goethe says : 



"Each after all learns only what he can, 



Who grasps the moment as it flies 



He is the real man." 

 And let us keep in mind what another has said : "Success in life 

 is a matter not so much of talent or opportunity as of concentration 

 and perseverance." 



STRAWBERRIES BY THE ACRE. 



THOS. E. CASHMAN, OWATONNA, MINN. 



Most people look upon this as an extravagant use of the term. 

 The idea of growing a whole acre of strawberries seems to them to 

 incur an inconceivable amount of labor with small recompense. But 

 to the professional strawberry grower an acre of strawberries is no 

 more than an acre planted to potatoes, for they require but little more 

 labor and, as a general thing, are three times as profitable. 



To obtain best results several things are required : 



1 st. Good land that has natural drainage and is retentive of 

 moisture. 



2nd. A good home market that can take all berries raised or 

 access to other towns that are not yet overloaded. 



3rd. Nearness to a good town, so that pickers can be secured 

 on short notice. 



All these things are necessary for the successful growing of 

 "strawberries by the acre." 



Most any good land suitable for growing corn and potatoes will 

 give good returns if planted to strawberries — to be sure, the richer 

 the land the greater the reward. If a person should look for an 

 ideal place, he should choose a "sandy loam" that works easily and 

 yet is retentive of moisture, and if not already rich it can be made 

 so by a liberal supply of manure from the cow barn, put on the year 

 before. It should be sown or planted to some crop that is not hard on 

 the soil, and one that can be removed not later than August 15, as the 

 ground should be plowed about that time, so that weed seeds that 

 may be in the ground can germinate and perish when frost strikes 

 them. It is a good policy to run the drag over the ground two or 

 three times during the fall, so as to pack the ground solid. 



As soon as the ground is in a condition to work in the spring, 

 go over it with a disc harrow and work as deep as the plants are to 

 be set, then drag it smooth and begin setting the plants. It is best 



