248 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



old plant, and I don't believe you can improve it or you can 

 run it out. 



Mr. Rasmussen: Go to a dairyman and he might tell 

 you a cow is a cow, but there has been quite an improvement in 

 cows. If you go at it right you can improve strawberries; I 

 advise you to try it and find out the difference. 



Mr. Pfaender: I agree with Mr. Brackett, I do not be- 

 lieve that bud selection improves the plants to any appreciable 

 extent. I know that at the Central Experiment Station there 

 were a large amount of Wealthy trees. They took some buds 

 from the best trees and some from the poorest and some medium, 

 and they set out an acre, thirty trees of each class. This orchard 

 is about ten years old, and there is practically no difference in 

 the yield of those three clases. 



Mr. Rasmussen: It may be true with the apple, I have 

 not tried it. I do not think I can get anything out of that 

 plant but a Dunlap, but I think I would get a better one. 



Mr. Hawley: I would like to ask a question, if you found 

 any difference in plants selected from the main first runner 

 instead of laterals? Are they better and why? 



Mr. Rasmussen : I have tried it, but I have never been able 

 to find any difference. 



Mr. Hawley : There is a difference in the size of the plant ? 



Mr. Rasmussen: Yes, sir. 



Mr. Hawley : Does not that continue the next year ? 



Mr. Rasmussen: I do not think so. I like them better 

 to plant, they are nicer to handle, but I do not think you are 

 improving them. They come quicker and are stronger, but I 

 do not think the runners will give you better fruit. 



Mr. Hawley : Why do you consider the berries unprofitable 

 after one year? 



Mr. Rasmussen : Because I do not think we can get 

 enough; there would be more difference in the yield in an 

 acre of strawberries the second year than the cost of cultivat- 

 ing a new bed? We figure we will never be satisfied with 

 less than $500 gross returns from an acre. We ought to be 

 able to get, like last year, over $1,000. On an old patch I 

 never knew them to run over $350. 



Mr. Sauter: Which is your best variety? 



Mr. Rasmussen: Dunlap. 



Prof. Wellington: Professor Whitten, of Missouri Uni- 

 versity, had been selecting strawberries for improvement, but 

 his experiments have been negative. 



Mr. Rasmussen: We try to improve the strength and 

 growth of the plants, and thereby we get better fruit. 



A Member: Have you ever, in sprinkling your berries 

 in the day-time, noticed that the drops of water falling on 

 the flowers would focus the light on the leaves and in that way 

 burn the leaves? 



Mr. Rasmussen: Not if you use the spray and leave 



