SUGGESTIVE EXPERIENCES. 32 1 



tially decomposed vegetable matter. The damp, rich soil, of 

 course, suits strawberries and blackberries ; though the latter 

 grow wild to such perfection, and in such abundance, as to do 

 away with cultivation almost entirely. The red raspberry does 

 not succeed very well as a rule. While damp, under-drained 

 soil and sandy loam are best for strawberries, the dry uplands 

 have almost invariably produced well. As to fertilizers, well- 

 decomposed stable manure and bone meal have done the best 

 with us. 



No winter protection is needed. The fall, with us, is the 

 best season to transplant strawberries, by all'odds, — as soon as 

 the September rains set in. 



Dr. Samuel Hape. 



Jacksonville, Fla., Dec. 23, 1878. 

 With pleasure, I answer your questions to the best of my 

 ability, i. What varieties of small fruits do best in your local- 

 ity ? Strawberries and blackberries do well, but owing to the 

 abundance of wild fruit, late and early, the blackberry is not 

 cultivated largely. No other small fruits have been fairly tried. 

 The general opinion is that our warm weather lasts too long for 

 the raspberry, gooseberry, and currant. I have given the rasp- 

 berry a trial, and cannot recommend it. 2. What soils are best 

 adapted to them ? We have two soils on which the strawberry 

 thrives, the low hummock bordering on the river. It is rich in 

 vegetable and mineral matter — clay from two to four feet under 

 surface. The next is our pine land ; soil light, and of grayish 

 color, nearly devoid of vegetable matter, but largely supplied 

 with lime and potash. Strawberries and blackberries do well 

 on this soil. We have what is termed high hummock. It is a 

 yellow loam, with clay, varying from two to six feet from surface. 

 The orange, peach, grape, fig, quince and plum do well on this 

 soil. 3. What is your mode of culture ? For strawberries, I 

 lay off beds, slightly raised, 8 feet wide. On each bed I put 

 four rows of plants, running the full length of beds. For Wil- 

 sons, rows 18 inches, and 12 inches between plants; Charles 

 Downing, and Seth Boyden, 18 by 18 inches. Cover all the 

 space wilh pine-needles by the time warm weather sets in, and 



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