METHODS OF CULTURE IN THE SOUTH. 1 63 



spring over two million more plants, which will occupy an- 

 other hundred acres, so that in 1880 he will have 250 acres 

 that must be picked over almost daily. 



Mr. Young prefers spring planting in operations upon a 

 large scale. Such a choice is very natural in this latitude, 

 for they can begin setting the first of February and continue 

 until the middle of April. Therefore, nine tenths of the 

 plants grown in this region are set out in spring. But at 

 Charleston and farther south, they reverse this practice, and, 

 with few exceptions, plant in the summer and fall, beginning 

 as early as July on some places, and continuing well into 

 December. 



I must also state that the finest new plantation that I saw 

 on Mr. Young's place was a field of Seth Boydens set out 

 in September. 



This fact proves that he could follow the system of 

 autumn planting successfully, and I am inclined to think 

 that he will regard this method with constantly increasing 

 favor. As an instance proving the adaptation to this lati- 

 tude of the fall system of planting, I may state that 96,000 

 plants were sent to a gentleman at Richmond, in October, 

 1877, ^^d when I visited his place, the following spring, 

 there was scarcely a break in the long rows, and nearly 

 fruit enough, I think, to pay for the plants. From his Seth 

 Boydens, set out last September, Mr. Young will certainly 

 pick enough berries to pay expenses thus far ; and at the 

 same time, the plants are already four times the size of any 

 set out this spring. As the country about Norfolk is level, 

 with spots where the water would stand in very wet weather, 

 Mr. Young has it thrown up into slightly raised beds two 

 and a half feet wide. This is done by plows, after the 

 ground has been thoroughly prepared and levelled by a 

 heavy, fine-toothed harrow. These ridges are but four or 



