ABC OF STRAWBERRY CULTURE. 207 



strawberries that was worthy of a picture ; but I did not have 

 the Kodak along that time. The berry-plants are in rows, ap- 

 parently about four feet apart, like our own. They were so 

 well mulched with straw in the fall that not a berry could find 

 a grain of dirt or soil to rest on. Friend W. hit it exactly in 

 being slow to remove the mulching. He kept the plants back 

 all he could without injury, and then gradually made openings 

 in the straw to let the plants come up through when they were 

 ready to start. By the way, I have never found anybody yet 

 who would remove the mulching with sufficient care to suit me. 

 They would go and claw the straw all away and throw it in the 

 paths. Now, the straw should not be moved a particle. L/et 

 the berries go up through it, leaving the straw where it is ; then 

 you will have a perfect mat to keep down weeds and to keep 

 the fruit out of the dirt It also serves to keep the berries back 

 so as to avoid a late frost. Only two kinds were on this patch 

 Crescent and Downing^three rows of one and then three 

 rows of the other, and so on. Varieties that succeed splendid- 

 ly here in Medina do not prove to be the best there, just ten 

 miles away, and therefore I feel sure it behooves every straw- 

 berry-grower to test, say, one row of each of the best kinds 

 prominently before the public ; then make a selection of what 

 suits your locality, and stick to your selection. I do not be- 

 lieve any grower wants very many kinds for fruit alone in his 

 locality. It may pay him to have a few Michel's Early, and, 

 say, a few late ones like the Gandy ; or if other extra late ones 

 or extra early ones do better, take them instead. Friend W. 

 does almost all the work on his 30 acres with the help of bis 

 wife and two children. It keeps them pretty busy, especially 

 during the berry time ; but, if I am right, the happy families 

 are the busy families. I shall long remember the hour I spent 

 in and around that pleasant little home. And, oh ! by the way, 

 I picked up 



A HORSE STORY 



at that home that I am sure will interest you. Friend W. is 

 about two miles from the town of Brunswick. His girl attends 

 school there, and comes home nights. Now, this will do very 

 well in good weather ; but how about bad weather ? I will tell 

 you. They have a sagacious, gentle horse that takes the young 

 lady to school every morning, and comes home himself. About 

 the time for school to be out he goes back for his young mis- 

 tress. As there is not any driver he sometimes takes things 

 easy in going the two miles, and does not reach his destination 



