62 Editors' Letter- Box. 



Will Strawberries Pay ? — The strawberry is one of the most profitable 

 crops cultivated in the vicinity of the large cities ; and can even be raised and 

 transported some distance, and then pay better than the majority of crops grown 

 by the farmer. The fact that it requires a large amount of manure, and a great 

 deal of work to weed, cover the vines, pick and sell the fruit, has prevented many 

 from entering upon its cultivation. In Belmont, near Boston, where this fruit 

 has been most successfully raised, the farmers have almost reached perfection in 

 its culture. They dress the land liberally with coarse horse-manure, even at the 

 rate of four to five hundred dollars' worth to the acre, plough deeply, cultivate 

 well through the fruit-season, cover with meadow-hay or horse-manure in the 

 fall, fruit the vines the next year, and then plough them under. By this plan, 

 the largest profits can be obtained ; an acre often giving one thousand dollars to 

 the producer, after paying expenses of marketing. The land, after such treat- 

 ment, is in the best condition for onions, — a crop which is often profitably 

 selected to follow strawberries ; or it is in a good state for most any crop except 

 strawberries, which require a change of soil. 



It is quite important to have good facilities for getting the crop to market by 

 railroad, express, or, if near the large cities, by one's own market-wagon. Twenty 

 years ago, good strawberries were sold in Boston market for fifteen to twenty 

 cents a box ; and it was confidently predicted at that time that the market would 

 soon be glutted with this fruit, and the price would fall below a living rate : but, 

 on the contrary, prices have nearly doubled during the past few years, and the 

 demand far exceeds the supply even at the greatly-enhanced prices. There is 

 little danger that too many strawberries will be grown. It is essential to success 

 that the best varieties should be planted, and that they should receive proper 

 treatment both in the setting and the subsequent management. There is a dif- 

 ference of opinion among good fruit-growers in relation to the profitableness of 

 different varieties ; and it is undoubtedly true that a variety which will do well in 

 Massachusetts will not succeed equally well in New York or New Jersey, and 

 vice versa. There are some varieties, that may be ranked as good for market- 

 purposes, that would be found lacking in quality by good judges of this fruit ; 

 while some varieties of the very highest quahty would fail to please the market- 

 gardener, because they are poor bearers, too soft, turn color after being picked, 

 or are too hard to hull. The Hovey's Seedling is one of the best, and is highly 

 esteemed at Belmont among the best growers. On account of its sex, it requires 

 peculiar treatment ; but, when some staminate variety is set near it, the best 

 results can be obtained, other things being favorable. The Brighton Pine is 

 perhaps one of the most valuable varieties for market-purposes, grows freely, 

 bears well, is hardy, hulls readily, good size, bears transportation well, is good 

 flavored, and, take it all in all, one of the best. The Jenny Lind is a good early 

 variety, though not so good a bearer as the Brighton, nor so hardy in vine. The 

 Wilson is a very sour, poor strawberry ; but, on the score of profit, a good one 

 for the market. Sometimes it is an utter failure, the whole field blasting, and 

 giving no crop ; but, when it escapes this fate, it bears large crops of large ber- 

 ries, matures early, and sells readily. It is a strange fact, that a large majority 

 of the people who eat strawberries and cream (?) at hotels, shops, and eating- 



