SMALL FRUITS. 75 



slightly mulch the bed with coarse meadow hay held in place by brush 

 or trash wood. The previous directions apply mostly to plants 

 grown in a commercial way and under the matted row system. Many 

 of our gardeners and amateurs adopt this method; however, for a 

 small place summer or fall setting of pot grown plants in hills is 

 to be preferred. In the latter method the preparation of the soil 

 and the after cultivation are much the same as described in the 

 former system, except that the original plant is not allowed to re- 

 produce itself, and hand labor takes the place of horse cultivation. 

 This method produces a number of very heavy crowns which bear 

 abundantly the following season. The plants for a bed vmder the 

 hill system may be set one foot by fifteen inches apart in beds five 

 feet wide, and if due care is taken of the plants the results from a 

 small area of ground will be very gratifying. Whichever method 

 you adopt the plants should be sprayed at least once a month 

 during the summer and twice in the spring before the blossoms 

 appear. This spraying is entirely in the nature of a fungicide as 

 there is no serious trouble from leaf eating insects. 



During the blooming season, if dry, it is well to stir the soil lightly 

 enough to form a dust mulch, and as soon as the berries are half 

 grown lightly cover the ground with some fine meadow hay or cut 

 straw; this will serve to keep the berries clean as well as to make 

 moisture conditions better. Pick the fruit as early in the day as 

 possible, for it is firm and cool then and will keep better and retain 

 its flavor to perfection. Fancy berries should never be picked in 

 deep receptacles; they should never touch each other as the skin 

 bruises very easily and the berries will quickly spoil. 



If the fruit is for market make two qualities at the time of pick- 

 ing so it will not be handled twice. The first quality berries 

 should be marketed in trays and the difference in price will repay 

 for extra labor and handling. 



The ten best varieties of the strawberry for commercial purposes 

 in this locality are Senator Dunlap, Parson's Beauty, Sample, 

 Brandywine, Glen INIary, INIinute Man, Clyde, Haverland, Mead, 

 and Bismarck. 



The five best varieties for the home garden are Marshall, Sena- 

 tor Dunlap, Granville, Brandywine, and Nick Ohmer. 



The strawberry has few insect enemies; probably the worst is 



