SMALL FRUITS. 345 



when the ground was so dry that in running the dibble you 

 could not press a hole open to set the plant in without the dry 

 dirt running back into the hole again. You will be surprised 

 when I tell you that I had better success than with the early 

 plants, those that were set earlier in the season. In setting 

 the late plants, I had one crew go ahead and make the holes, 

 and another crew with water. Just as the plant was laid over 

 the hole a little water was thrown on, which dampened them so 

 that the earth adhered to the roots, and the crew pressed the 

 plants into the holes and pressed the dirt back with another 

 dibble. They grew right up finely. I had two crews employed, 

 who kept the thing going as I have described, and I had the 

 best luck with that field that I have had with any in my 

 experience. 



Mr. C. L. Smith: I appreciate what the gentlemen have 

 said about this, and I think I see the reason in it. When a man 

 sets out plants late in the season under such circumstances as 

 Mr. Sampson has related to us, he knows it is a little risky, and, 

 consequently, he takes a little more pains with them than he 

 otherwise would, and, therefore, he has great success. I can 

 also see how Mr. Wilcox succeeded during the last part of this 

 season. You know the early part of the season was very back- 

 ward, and the hot weather was retarded for several weeks. 

 But, after all, gentlemen, you who are familiar with the sub- 

 ject will bear me out in this, I think: Where strawberries are 

 to be moved any considerable distance, packed in baskets or 

 boxes of any kind, it is a dangerous transaction for all parties 

 concerned when the weather becomes hot aiud dry. In other 

 words, while strawberries may be moved and set in any month 

 of the year, the risk increases as you get into the season, and 

 it requires more care and attention late in May or early in June 

 than it does early in the season. I would, therefore, maintain 

 the point made in the paper, that the safest and best time is as 

 early in the season as the ground can be easily worked. 



Mr. M. A. Thayer, Sparta, Wis. : You advise the pinching 

 back of the raspberry and blackberry at two or three feet high — 

 have you ever tried it a lower height? 



Mr. Smith: Yes. 



Mr. Thayer: And you like it better at two or three feet than 

 you do at twelve or fifteen inches? 



Mr. Smith : I never like to give advice that I know will not 

 be taken, and, consequently, I took the medium ground, where 

 I thought it would be heeded and perhaps, arouse no antagonism. 



