IOWA STATE HORT. SOCIETY. 473 



The eveuing- program closed with a paper, "Are Plants Healthful 

 in Living- Rooms."' by Miss Mary A. Nichols, a gradtxate of the Iowa 

 Agricultural CoUeg-e. The results of the latest scientific researches 

 on the subject were presented to the audience in a clear and con- 

 vincing manner. An agricultural education has not taken a single 

 charm from the appearance of the lady. She is a clear, forcible 

 writer and reads with the eloquence of a trained elocutionist. Ver}- 

 seldom does an audience receive so much that is practical, as well as 

 pleasing, in one session as was given to the Iowa horticulturists on 

 this evening. 



The sessions of the second day opened with a larger attendance 

 from the more remote parts of the state. The program for the day 

 was ver}* full, and the papers and addresses of rare excellence. The 

 "Methods of Cultivation to Produce Plant Food" was introduced by 

 Prof. D. A. Kent, of the State Agricultural College, in a well written 

 paper showing what constittited the elements of plant food, where 

 they are found and how they are made available. He showed up the 

 benefits of good drainage and thorough cultivation, both of which 

 tend to make plant food available, and a freqixent shallow cultiva- 

 tion provides a soil mulch which conserves moisture, promotes 

 areation and narrows the extremes of wet and drouth. 



Charles Root, of Hopkinton, read a paper on "Small Fruits," under 

 the headings of planting, cultivating old and new varieties, fertiliz- 

 ing the soil, spraying and winter protection. The points are, let 

 each plant be set as carefulU' as if it was the onl\' o:ie 3-0U had, 

 guarding against the roots getting dry — he does not believe in fall 

 planting an^-thing, and holds that one plant or tree well set is worth 

 three carelessly done. Twice a week is none too often to cultivate, 

 especially in time of drouth, when most people fail to give it be- 

 cause there are lessweeds to kill. Barn3'ard manure is better than 

 commercial fertilizers for small fruits, and the best results cotne 

 from land that has been heavilj'- manured two or three j-ears before 

 and cropped with corn and potatoes. For winter protection cover 

 reasonabl}" early, as the root growth will go 011 after the tops are 

 covered; he uses strawj' manure with dirt over it for blackberries. 

 In selling, never send a box to market that is not ripe enough to put 

 upon j^our own table at supper; do not put the best berries on top 

 and be careful that no green or poor berries find their way into the 

 box; use clean, tasty packages, and the home market for you is 

 made — for people will quicklj' find you out, and use more berries 

 when they are sure they are all ripe and alike all through the box. 

 He considers Warfield, Crescent and Haverland the most profitable 

 varieties, with Bederwood as pollenizer. 



"Evergreens for Shelter." was discussed in a paper bj- C. F. Gard- 

 ner, of Osage. To form the best shelter belt the}- should be set out 

 in single rows with nothing to crowd them on either side of the 

 row. They will then grow with limbs close to the ground and 

 always retain them. White pine may be set twelve feet apart in the 

 row, and if more than one row is used the rows should be from thirty 

 to forty feet apart. Norway- spruce should be set six to eight feet 

 apart and the rows twenty- or thirty- feet apart. Scotch and Xorway 

 pine should be given the same distance as the white. A single row 



