{* ' / ‘ 
MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 57 
Time to Mulch 
: ‘Strawberries need air till the ground is frozen, and then a light sub- 
stance for mulch is much the hest. When the leaves begin to look green I 
should open the mulch over the plants. A northern exposure, where mulch- 
ing is not practiced, is much the best, as the snow; one of the best cover- 
ings, remains there longer. The best way to keep suow on large fieids of 
strawberries is to plant raspberries every 25 or'30 feet, two rows six feet 
apart, with the strawberries in the wide spaces. 
Crop of Plants. 
Taking a crop of plants from a bed of Michigan Seedling diminishes the 
following crop by one-fourth to one-third. I do not think it makes as 
much difference with most other varieties. 
Receipts. 
The average price I received for strawberries in the city of Faribault, in 
1875, was 153 cents per quart. The cost of picking was 2 cents per quart, 
and commission for selling 15 per cent. The 93 bushels brought, tnere- 
pore, $445.95. Deducting cost of picking and commission left $319.49. 
There were some other expenses, as cost of delivering, and loss of boxes, 
which would amount to $30.00 more, leaving a net of $289.49. I cannot 
tell the exact area but think it is about two acres. 
Best Varieties. 
From my experience I should say the best three varieties for general 
cultivation are Michigan Seedling, Early Scarlet and Ida. I would not say 
there are not better kinds. But I have done the best with the three above 
named kinds, and this result has been reached after testing over twenty 
varieties. 
The Wilson. 
There are many people that want Wilson plants. I have tried them for 
years. The reason I still try them is that people will buy Wilson plants. 
In the first place they have a short root, and cannot stand a drouth well. 
They have very short fruit stems, so that the fruit soils badly when it rains. . 
It does not hold its size well after the first and second picking. And last 
of all, I never have obtained two crops on the same bed. It exhausts itself 
the first bearing season. I presume my views will not agree with many 
on this berry, but different locations make a difference. 
Kentucky. 
I see by the report of the Dlinois State Horticultural Society this winter 
that they recommend the Kentucky. This same variety I tried three 
years, and then plowed them all up. The same with Jucunda and Ameri- 
can Agriculturist. 
