30 



these plants, I was considering what occupation I should 

 devote myself to, my strawberry bed awoke within me & 

 love for the soil, for the marvelous things it is able to bringr 

 forth. So my strawberry bed has continued to be a source 

 of unfailing delight to me, my recreation which I could al- 

 ways return to from the other work on the farm with au 

 feeling of rest and contentment. 



I would advise all young men who are starting out in 

 agriculture, to study one line of work that they may take 

 exceptional interest in; make a hobby of it; the spirit of in- 

 vestigation and research it will lead into will be of great in- 

 terest. You will not be troubled in the growing season for 

 lack of work, your whole time can be filled up by having a. 

 specialty to take up when other work slacks. The choice of 

 the situation and soil to be used is a matter of importance. 

 If one was free to choose the right place he would first con- 

 sider a near market, then for soil he would select a rich 

 loamy one inclined to hold moisture so the land would be 

 able to withstand a drought of ten days in fruiting season. 

 This condition is not always met with so I would not have 

 any farmer or owner of a garden kept from growing this 

 fruit at least for his family, if he has many adverse condi- 

 tions to contend with. On a warm, moist, elevated sloping^ 

 situation the plants will grow better, berries will be firm- 

 er and sweeter, less care is needed to keep down weeds that 

 generally abound in a strawberry bed. The best prepara- 

 tion is necessary; if the land chosen is wet it must be 

 drained to the depth of two to three feet. If a piece of pas- 

 ture or grass land is selected it must be cultivated two years 

 with some clean hoed crop. 



The destruction of beds by the white grub shows; 

 us the importance of this preliminary work. If stable 

 manure can be obtained I should apply eight cords per acre 

 to these crops so to have it incorporated in the soil. The 

 fall before setting I should apply eight cords manure and 

 have the land thoroughly ploughed. Any process which 

 leaves the land in a deep rich and mellow condition insures 

 success as far as the soil is concerned. The spring is the 

 best time to set for field culture ; have the land ploughed 

 again. One of the reasons of poor success is not having the 

 ground half worked. Where stable manure is not used, 

 ground bone or high grade tankage with wood ashes I hare 

 applied at the rate of one ton of bone or tankage with, one: 



