498 INDIANA HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS 



Failing to get fruit by garden culture, he commenced the 

 experiment which for six years has proved so eminently 

 successful. He cleared off a strip of low land along a little 

 rivulet, the soil of which is coarse sand and loose gravel, 

 intermixed with clay slightly, and of course covered with 

 forest mould, digging out the roots of a thick growth of 

 bushes sufficiently prepared the land. The vines were then 

 set in rows, six of Hovey and one of scarlet, and the sur- 

 face has never been disturbed since by spade or hoe, ex- 

 cept so far as going over the ground once or twice a-year 

 to cut out here and there a decaying vine or bunch of 

 grass or weeds — few of which, however, in consequence 

 of using no manure, ever make their appearance ; neither 

 do the plants run to vines, spreading all over the surface 

 every year as they did in the garden. The whole strength 

 seems to be exerted for the production of large rich ber- 

 ries to such a degree that the ground is red ivith fruit, 

 not green ivith leaves ; and this not upon a little plat, but 

 over a field of five acres. 



And does he never manure them ? is undoubtedly asked 

 by every tyro in the business of growing strawberry 

 vines. Mr. Peabody grows roots, stems, and fruit. I re- 

 peat, he never manures, never digs the ground nor turns 

 under the old roots to give place to new ones. In autumn, 

 he gives a light dressing of the surface soil of the forest, 

 and covers the ground with leaves ; these remain until de- 

 cayed, and serve to keep the berries clean during the long 

 bearing season. This, and the watering every hot day 

 when it does not rain, is the great secret of growing 

 strawberries, not only six months, but last year he actu- 

 ally had them upon his table every month but two — 

 January and February. Of course, at the north, the 

 bearing season could not be of equal duration, but it may 

 by greatly extended by the same course of cultivation. 



Solon. 



