1889.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 4. 147 



STRAWBERRIES AND CURRANTS FOR MARKET. 



BY E. W. WOOD OF WEST NEWTON. 



The profitable growing of the small fruits depends more 

 upon location than the tree fruits, being more quickly per- 

 ishable and more liable to injury in transportation. A home, 

 or not distant market, is a matter of importance, and as 

 the cultivation of the small fruits, as well as the gathering 

 and preparing for market, requires much more labor than the 

 ordinary crops, the opportunity for securing suitable help 

 when needed, and at reasonable wages, is to be considered. 

 This is especially true of the strawberry, as the time for 

 gathering the fruit is limited, and any considerable delay in 

 picking when in condition, will result in serious loss. 



The fears entertained a few years since by the strawberry 

 growers that the constantly increasing supply of this fruit 

 from the Southern States, anticipating the native fruit for 

 the space of three months, would seriously interfere with its 

 production in this State, have not been realized. The demand 

 for the native fruit has constantly increased, and has rarely 

 sold more readily or at more satisfactory prices than the 

 past year. 



Clean cultivation, rather than any special skill or special 

 fertilizer, is indispensable to the best success, as it is hardly 

 possible to grow a profitable crop of strawberries and any 

 considerable crop of weeds on the same ground at the same 

 time. 



A strong, well-enriched, moist, though thoroughly drained 

 soil, afibrds the most favorable conditions. For the general 

 crop the matted row system is usually adopted, and the 

 plants should be set as early in the spring as the ground 

 is in suitable condition to work, and strong plants can be 

 secured. The ground being thoroughly prepared with plough 

 and harrow, the plants should be set in rows from three to 

 four feet apart, depending upon the varieties, and eighteen 

 inches apart in the rows. 



To prevent the growth of weeds and keep the soil in the 

 best condition, it will require stirring as often as once in two 

 weeks from the time the plants are set until the middle or 

 last of August. If no other crop is grown upon the ground, 



