A B C OF STRAWBERRY CULTURE. 75 



made less plants, could be thinned faster. But it seems to me 

 that it may easily make a difference of one or two bushels 

 in the yield of a row, or two or three cents a quart in the size, 

 on half a dozen or more bushels, or perhaps both. In thickly 

 matted rows, all the plants do not bear fruit to amount to any 

 thing, and these non-yielders are using up the fertility of the 

 soil are, in effect, so many weeds ; why not treat them as 

 such, and remove them ? It might be wiser not to let so many 

 runners grow ; but this would take endless watching at a busy 

 season, and would not be quite as natural. 



But, now, there is a difference in the habits of growth of 

 different varieties. I am studying and trying to do my best 

 with those we grow. The Crescent, I am told, will stand the 

 most negltct, and yield better in a thick solid matted row, than 

 any other variety having the same treatment. Possibly this 

 thinning would not pay for them ; probably not as well. Of 

 this I do not know, however. I do not want any Crescents, 

 any way On the other hand, it is said that the Sharpless and 

 the Jewell do well in hills, on certain soils and in certain local- 

 ities, with the runners all kept off. But I can not grow Sharp- 

 less ; my land is too much subject to late frosts, which they en- 

 dure poorly, and is hardly heavy enough to suit that berry. 

 For the rank growing kinds that I grow, the above appears to 

 me now to be the very best. 



Mr. C. E. Chapman said, in the Country Gentleman, last 

 fall, in regard to my taking out the old plants set in the spring : 

 "This is contrary to my experience. The old plant is in its 

 prime, not having borne fruit during the season. It has a vig- 

 orous, healthy growth, and will give more and larger berries 

 than any of its runners. Why take it out ?" True, it hasn't 

 borne fruit ; but, has it not exhausted itself sending out run- 

 ners? But I took it out because some other growers told me 

 they would, and because, with two varieties we grow, we 

 had tried leaving the old plants and found they produced 

 next to nothing. Probably Mr. C. is right, for the varieties he 



