SUGGESTIVE EXPERIENCES. 319 



other part of California. The earliest berry with us is the Red 

 Antwerp (probably the English). It is a week earlier than the 

 Franconia. The Herstine is a fine berry every way, except 

 as regards firmness. The cap varieties are inferior in flavor 

 here. 



C. M. SiLVA & Son. 



From other sources I learn that the Triomphe de Gand and 

 Seth Boyden are among the chief favorites in California. 



Mr. Fehx Gillet, Nevada City, Cal., author of an excel- 

 lent little treatise on the culture of the strawberry in his re- 

 gion, says : " The row and hill system is certainly the best 

 of all, especially to raise large, fine frait. The row^s should 

 be two feet apart, or thirty-six inches, if irrigating by run- 

 ning water in each row as it is done in California. The 

 plants should be set, the large-growing sorts two feet from 

 each other in the row, the smaller ones from twelve to eigh- 

 teen inches." 



Austin, Texas. 

 I put in water-works, and it is the best investment I ever 

 made. I supply Austin with vegetables the whole year round. 

 It was very dry last year, but I loaded three wagons with vege- 

 tables every day. We watered twenty acres regularly, and will 

 water thirty this year. I am making a large reservoir on a hill, 

 which will be supplied from a large well through a six-inch pipe. 

 I use Knowles's steam pump, 30 horse-power, capable of pump- 

 ing 750,000 gallons daily. Of strawberries, the Kentucky Seed- 

 ling can stand the most heat and drought. Crescent SeedHng 

 looks well here, also the Forest Rose. Raspberries, currants, 

 and gooseberries cannot be raised. We plant strawberries one 

 foot apart in the row, and the rows are three feet apart. We 

 mulch early in spring, and cultivate by horse-power after the 

 bearing season is over. I regard cow manure, leaf mold, and 

 bone flour as the best fertilizers. I consider fall, October or 

 November, as the best time for planting. 



William Radam. 



