SMALL FRUITS. 235 



prove true, besides in Illinois — it certainly shows health, vigor and great 

 push. Lady Rusk, "earlier, larger and more productive than Crescent, 

 better shipper than Wilson, everywhere a success." (Stahl, Illinois.) Mrs. 

 Cleveland, "extra good, very large, firm, productive," heal thy and vigorous; 

 Miami, one of the best late varieties, everything satisfactory except a little 

 inclination to rust; Princess, one of your own daughters, and we expect 

 she will not go back on Minnesota's record, excelled by none, equaled by 

 few. 



Among these ten pistillates there are berries suited to all; the farmer, 

 who does not usually give the best of care; the amateur, who wants a 

 dozen berries to fill a quart; the professional grower, who hopes to clear 

 $1,000 per acre. 



Additional to the above we have 25 new varieties growing on our 

 grounds, the half of their promises we shall not believe until proven. In 

 June and July of 1890 we repeatedly visited F. W. London's field of 4,000 

 new varieties of seedling strawberries, only one year planted out and the 

 first crop. It seemed to us there were 600 kinds as good or better than 

 most of those now in cultivation; the fruit lay in heaps all over the planta- 

 tion, and a sight worth going 1,000 miles to see. 



Pollen. Doubtless the cross fertilization of a firm berry may impart 

 firmness in some degree, but I have seen more influence of the atmos- 

 phere than of pollen, and I have not seen the marked changes in quality 

 and texture that some write about — but it is just as well to plant with 

 this end in view while we have so many varieties to select from. 



Every writer should avoid recommending a pistillate without giving it 

 a mate, and it is best to have on one side an early blossom and on the 

 other a late variety. I have grouped the fifteen perfect and the ten pis- 

 tillates, and choice selections may be made successfully from each. 



Some farmers want no pistillates, but I am inclined to think the pro- 

 duction of pollen tends to exhaust the vigor and productiveness if not 

 the vitality of the perfect flowering varieties; for as a class the pistil- 

 lates are much more vigorous and productive when properly pollenized 

 than are the perfect flowering kinds. 



Some writers recommend one row of perfect to five pistillates. We 

 want two to four, and better still, every other plant in the same row a 

 perfect flowering sort. 



Cultivation. The first year or season after planting should be thorough , 

 frequent, and as the season advances, very shallow near the plants. I 

 have seen twelve dollars mentioned as cost per acre the first year. I 

 should much rather put on $25.00 per acre and expect 200 fold returned in 

 the first crop. 



Hill culture is not generally a success. Half matted rows and then 

 keep the runners cut, will give finest returns of fancy berries; in matted 

 rows of vigorous growers the plants get too thick to give satisfactory size 

 to the fruit. Cultivate and hoe the spring planted bed every week from 

 time of planting till autumn frosts. One plant set in spring is worth 25 

 set in August. Keep the fruit stems picked off the first season to give 

 vigor and success the following season. 



How many seasons shall a bed be cultivated? 



For market gardeners one heavy crop and under where the land is under 

 high culture and valuable; for the amateur as long as he can afford to 



