STRAWBERRY GROWING IN NEW HAMPSHIRE 93 



NOTES ON THE FIRST YEAR S TESTS AT THE EXPERIMENT 



STATION 



During the past season we fruited fifty-four varieties. Tlie 

 list selected was thought to contain the cream of the varieties 

 grown. The soil is a sandy loam, fairly fertile, and at a 

 medium elevation. The ground was not prepared until the 

 previous spring, at wliich time a turf was turned under, and a 

 good dressing of complete commercial fertilizer applied and 

 harrowed in. At least one dozen plants of each variety were 

 set in rows three and one-half feet apart and eighteen inches in 

 the row. They were trained to the mediiun matted row 

 system. They made only a fair growth chuing 1S96, a number 

 being unable to set sufficient plants to promise an average yield 

 this season. The mulch used was pine needles. Data has 

 been taken of all varieties, but witli a few exceptions will be 

 reserved until the results from the same varieties are taken 

 another season. A new bed was set last spring, containing a 

 row of each of the fifty-four varieties, and as the season as well 

 as the ground has been more favorable, we expect to be able to 

 report more in detail another year. •■ 



The first general picking of varieties was made on July 2d, 

 at which time the photographs shown in Figures 3 and 4 were 

 taken. Each box shows the comparative quantity of fruit from 

 one picking, as well as general cliaracter and size. Figures 5 

 and 6 contain the remaining varieties, taken July 7th. 



Leaf Blight was very common and troublesome. While all 

 varieties are subject to it, some succumb much more readily 

 than others, although handled and treated similarly. It was 

 thought that tiie percentage of blight as affecting each variety 

 upon our trial grounds would be of interest ; consequently data 

 were taken as given in Table i. 



Table I also has been woiked up by Mr. A. Z. Norcross, 

 a student in the agricultural course, to show other general 

 characteristics of eacli of the varieties as they have appeared in 

 our test, as (i) character of foliage and size of leaf, (2) ability 

 to propagate itself by means of runners, (3) ability to form a 

 matted row, and (4) general remarks. 



