CHAPTER XXXI. 



SUGGESTIVE EXPERIENCES FROM WIDELY SEPARATED 

 LOCALITIES. 



T T is often said that there is no teaching like experience, 

 -■■ and in view of this sound principle I am led to quote 

 from a few of the letters that I have received. These state- 

 ments, from successful and intelligent cultivators, throw side 

 lights on the preceding pages from various stand-points. I 

 would advise the reader to note carefully the adaptation of 

 different varieties to different parts of the country. As we 

 have just been discussing the subject of irrigation, I will 

 first quote from California letters, since they touch on this 

 topic. 



From Mr. James Shinn's interesting communication, I 

 take the following facts : — 



NiLES, Alameda Co., Cal. 

 The greater part of the strawberries consumed in San Fran- 

 cisco are grown in the neighborhood of San ]os6, some fifty 

 miles south of the city. We are situated about half-way be- 

 tween, in the great valley that borders the bay of San Fran- 

 cisco. We have occupied this place over twenty years, and 

 liave made observations upon the culture of small fruits, and 

 have alwavs grown more or less ourselves. While, therefore, I 

 do not claim to be authority on the points you inquire about, I 

 feel pretty safe in mentioning one or two things in this connec- 

 tion, that I can hardly be mistaken about : 



J^irsi — Those who plant extensively for market make it a 

 sine qua non to have at hand plenty of water j except in very 



