256 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



spaces, I am satisfied that the latter method gives far better results 

 as the ground is kept more nearly level and in condition to hold 

 moisture. How much to narrow the rows depends upon the condi- 

 tion of the plants and also upon the weather. If plants are vigorous 

 and the weather is wet, the chances are that if the rows are made 

 narrow, they will run and make a good growth for the following 

 year. If the weather is drj^ and plants weak, I should favor culti- 

 vating out just enough to make a good working space. After culti- 

 vating, the rows should be cleaned out leaving no weeds or grass, 

 and, if the growth is very strong, some of the plants cut out. 



Now comes the most important factor of all, to so treat the bed as 

 to get the most vigorous growth possible, for as we all know the 

 crop next season depends upon the growth now. The best way j'et 

 known to hasten this growth is to make a heavy application of well 

 rotted barnj'ard manure and then to keep the cultivator running 

 every few days till fall. 



I believe there is no place on a fruit farm where better, quicker 

 and more profitable results will follow than right here. On the part 

 of a bed so treated last season after picking, the growth was much 

 stronger and this season there was fully three times as much fruit 

 as on that not fertilized. 



A few suggestions and hints have been here given in a general 

 way, but no one can give rules for all to follow, and each grower 

 must work according to his own surroundings and condition, using 

 his best thought to bring about the desired results. 



Mr. Brayton: I would like to ask Mr. Converse if he is in 

 the same latitude in Wisconsin that we are here? 



Mr. Converse: I do not know what it is here. We live in 

 the second tier of counties in Wisconsin; not as far north as 

 this. 



Pres. Underwood: I want to emphasize the importance and 

 the advantage, in my estimation, of burning over a strawberry 

 bed. If you are not going to plow up the bed or renew it or 

 plant a new bed, I am quite sure from the several years I have 

 tried it that nothing will give you such good results. Even 

 this year, on a part of our beds — some of our friends Avill re- 

 member the fine five acre bed we had, and it was injured, root- 

 killed by last winter's drouth. As an experiment, on the south 

 side of that bed we had some Bederwood, and I put some 

 straw on and burned it over. When you want to burn 

 over a bed put on plenty of straw, shake it up and get it 

 thoroughly j)repared; put on a nice covering of loose, dry 

 straw — and we could get it at our place, because we did not have 

 any rain for ten weeks, and it was perfectly dry. Those plants 

 were all somewhat weakened by last winter's drouth so the 

 roots were killed. Their vitality seemed to be exhausted, and 

 it was a question of whether we should burn over the bed or 



