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42 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 
ular variety of the red, but we think Shaffer’s Collosal will take its 
place in a few years, at least in the Minneapolis market. Souhegan 
and Hilburn are the best early blackcaps. The late blackcaps did 
not amount to much this year; the most of the fruit dried on the 
bushes. The blackberries did the best of all, and with me were 
nearly a fullcrop. We consider the Snyder the best early variety, 
and Ancient Briton or Stone’s Hardy for late. I have found out that 
blackberries do the best without cutting them back. Give them 
good cultivation, and every berry will mature and be large ones, 
likewise. Gooseberries and currants did fairly well and prices were 
good. 
In order to be successful in growing small fruits, they need win- 
ter protection and thorough cultivation all through the growing 
season. We may not be able to grow large crops of strawberries 
withoutirrigation, but the past season has proved that with very 
little rain and good cultivation, we can grow raspberries, blackber- 
ries, gooseberries and currants that will net us a handsome profit. 
SMALL FRUITS. 
M. C. BUNNELL, NEWPORT. 
We have had two unfavorable seasons for the raising of small 
fruits in Washington and Dakota counties. Where a thorough cul- 
tivation was kept up, the crops withstood the drouth better, the 
stirring of the soil having a tendency to produce moisture. Straw- 
berries were not halfa crop; beds were burned up by the severe 
drouth, especially the beds that were planted in 1893. Beds planted 
in 1894 were better. 
Raspberries and blackberries did not mature on the bushes. Cur- 
rents were a better crop and brought.a good renumeration. The 
worm didn’t seem to injure the bushes as badly asin the year 1893. 
I think it will pay to keep up the currant industry, especially around 
the twin cities, as there is usually a good demand for the fruit. A 
number of the farmers have rooted them out on account of the 
worm, but the grower who will attend to his bushes, use a sufficient 
amount of hellebore, and give them good cultivation with plenty of 
manure to enrich the ground, will be amply repaid. Gooseberries 
are being planted to some extent. 
As to varieties of small fruits that do the best in this section. 
Strawberries: Wilson, Crescent, Jessie and Warfield; Parker Earle 
and Bederwood are planted some. Raspberries: Turner, Cuthbert, 
Brandywine and Philadelphia for red; Early Ohio and Gregg for 
black. Blackberries: Ancient Briton and Stone’s Hardy. Currants: 
Red Dutch, Cherry, North Star, White Grape. Black currants: En- 
glish. Gooseberries: Houghton and Downing; a few of the 
Industry are being tried. 
As to the method of cultivating the small fruits, I would plant 
strawberries on well fertilized sod three and one-half feet to four 
feet between the rows, and eighteen inches in the row. Fertilize the 
pistillate varieties every other row with staminate varieties; culti- 
vate in the matted row system. Cover the beds late in the fall with 
swale grass if it can be procured, if not, use straw with the chaff 
