NINTH ANNUAL MEETING. 99 



and hold the snow and partially shade the ground, acting 

 as a mulch to prevent winter killing the clover. On 

 one acre so treated in fall of '98 I kept two cows tied on 

 for four months past season, and they hardly kept up with 

 the growth, though season was rather dry. Two acres 

 next to it I mowed June 10, and again August 16, the hay 

 I am now feeding my cows, and without any grain, they 

 do as well in flesh and milk as when fed on ordinary fine 

 stock hay and a fair grain ration added. Therefore, cut- 

 ting the second crop so earl}', a third growth came on; 

 plenty for winter protection. I shall set strawberries on 

 the clover sod. A friend of mine picked over 200 bushels 

 to the acre last season, as he sold 413 bushels from less 

 than two acres grown on clover sod. I saw the fruit grown 

 in matted rows. It was good size, color and flavor. He 

 used fine ground bone raked into the soil where the plants 

 were to be set — at time of setting. No farm manure was 

 used; therefore, less weeds to fight. I now have a nice 

 piece of strawberries on land not harrowed at all after 

 plowing. As it plowed up fine and loose, being soil natu- 

 rally inclined to pack or bake, I tried this way and shall 

 follow it hereafter when I meet with similar conditions at 

 plowing time in spring, for it remained light and mealy all 

 summer. In the rows, of course the paths got packed 

 some; these were mellowed by horse cultivation, which was 

 done every two weeks with fine-tooth cultivator. 



Raspberries. — I have not been able to find a better berry 

 for me than the Cuthbert. Loudon I have. It is more 

 hardy and in some respects more showy. But from 

 inquiries made in Boston and other cities last fall I could 

 not find any in whom I had confidence that would say that 

 he considered it as good even as Cuthbert in any respect 

 as a market berry. I want the best I can get, I have found 

 no new method of cultivation. Nothing better than hills 

 five by six feet and cultivate often, and shallow both ways. 

 If to be left standing, tie to stakes in fall; having pinched 

 back young growth at three feet in the summer, to make 

 branching stocky canes, leave six to eight in the hill 

 if land is strong and right; but if to be laid down and 

 covered for winter protection do not do any pinching back, 



