EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 251 



clean from all weeds, and the surface soil stirred once a week with 

 cultivator until the last week in August, and no mulch was applied, 

 lest it might tend to stimulate a late starting of the buds. The 

 Shaffer was given exactly the same treatment and all other varieties 

 of reds the same, except that the young canes were not pinched or 

 cut back, but the surplus suckers were kept ovit to give the remain- 

 ing canes room for full development. The result was that none of 

 the blacks were injured, except a few plants on the ends of the rows 

 that were cut back the second time about midsummer and an occa- 

 sional plant of the Nemaha that froze back about one-third of the 

 growth but did not seem to lessen the fruiting capacity. 



Of the reds, the Shaffer suffered the most, but there were enough 

 left to produce an immense crop. The ^Vlarlboros were not injured 

 in the least, and the Cuthberts stood up seven feet high and started 

 this spring from the terminal buds and were subsequently cut back 

 to four feet, and all have borne a good crop this season, and the 

 canes are free from curl-leaf. The first ripe blacks were seen on 

 June 20; began picking for market June 23. First ripe reds on same 

 date on an unknown varietj^; fruit too small for market. First ripe 

 Marlboros, June 23. The last picking of blackcaps is being made 

 todaj", July 13, except Nemahas, which will last a week longer. The 

 drouth has been severe and the fruit of last picking is small. The 

 only varieties of reds that we find profitable to grow for home use 

 or market are Marlboro, Cuthbert and Shaffer. The most profitabfe 

 blackcaps to grow for market, with us, are Ohio and Xemaha. The 

 Johnson Earlx", Progress and an unknown variety gave the earliest 

 fruit. Palmer and Older are very promising; it is the first j^ear 

 we have fruited them. In this dry, hot season they did not hold in 

 bearing as long as the Ohio. 



Our experiment of planting rows four and one-half feet apart with 

 plants two and one-half feet apart in the row has proved entirely' 

 satisfactory and more profitable than planting eight feet apart and 

 raising a catch crop between. The design is to remove every alter- 

 nate row after this last picking, but we are inclined to think that in 

 the end it will be more profitable to set new beds every spring and 

 destroy after one crop has been taken from them. The plants are 

 easier protected than older ones, being set closer; the first crop will 

 be a full one, and insects and disease do not gain a foothold. The 

 canes should be pruned back to two and one-half feet and may be 

 fastened to a wire fastened to stakes along the row. Fruit may be 

 kept clean by heavj^ mulching. 



Currants have borne a heav}^ crop of fruit this 3ear. The Victoria 

 seems to be a greater cropper than the Prince Albert and Long- 

 Bunch Holland. We have six plants of the North Star, donated by 

 the Jewell Nursery Co. in 1892; they are bearing well. The fruit is 

 large and the flavor better than any other variety we have tried, 

 while the plant is a strong upright grower and promises to be of 

 great value for this part of the state. It is as good a fruiter as the 

 Fay and has none of its weak points. The dwarf Juneberry fruited 

 this year. I do not consider it of any value except for ornament and 

 to produce food for birds. Plums promise a half crop; apples less; 

 grapes full crop; blackberries three-fourths crop. Thej' will be re- 

 ported later. 



