SMALL FRUITS. ole 
when planted alone. Oh, but we have said ita thousand times, it is 
printed in all the reports, repeated a dozen times each year in all the farm 
papers, and yet each year hundreds of expectant lovers of the luscious 
berry, who have planted and cultivated by the book, see fond hopes and 
prospects wrecked, their faith, patience, time and money all gone, just 
for the sake of a few perfect flowering plants scattered along the rows, 
and when the mistake is pointed out they.exclaim: ‘‘Oh, yes, I had heard 
that, but did not think.” j 
If we could utterly annihilate all but three or four of our best varieties, 
we could double the production of berries in the state. Three years on 
the dry prairie summer fallowing, is the best preparation for strawberry 
planting. Mulching between the rows with fresh cut slough grass in 
August is the best check against drouth. The earlier the plants are set 
in the spring the better. 
Cutting out the old canes of raspberries as soon as the fruit is gathered 
seems to be of great benefit tothe new canes. Pinching the new canes as 
soon as they are three feet high seems to produce better results than al- 
lowing them to grow unchecked. Red raspberry plants from new planta- 
tions give better results than those from the Older ones. The Houghton 
Seedling gooseberry seems to lead all others and is productive on a larger 
variety of soils and under more varied conditions than any other sort. 
The Red Dutch currant,kept free from weeds and grass, with old wood cut 
out and plenty of manure on top of the ground, seems to be good enough 
for the average planter. 
In closing I wish to ask some questions for some one to answer, if they 
can, and forall of us to fhink about. 
As about ninety-five per cent of all the strawberries in our markets are 
Crescent and Wilson, and everybody seems glad to get them, what sense 
is there in wasting time, money and faith on something supposed to be 
better, until everyone is supplied with these? 
Is this society ready to recommend the Jessie strawberry for general 
cultivation? 
How and when should black raspberry tips be.dug, handled and planted 
to secure the best results? 
How can we best enforce the truth that for the farmer who wants ber- 
ries the old, well-tried sorts, sold for a reasonable price, are the kind to 
buy and plant, rather than the new and wonderful, just discovered, owned 
and controlled exclusively by one firm or individual? 
After 20 years’ experience in Minnesota I believe the sale of new varie- 
ties has done more to dampen the interest in small fruit culture than 
frost, drouth and blizzards combined. 
(This paper gave rise to an interesting discussion and brought _ 
out the important fact, that dry weather with hot sunshine at 
the time of blossoming interferes with fertilization. ) 
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