THE STKAWHKiniV AM) ITS CULTURE. b^ 



the groatost luunbor of bushels I would plant a foot and a half 

 apart each way. Just after a rain each plant can bo taken up 

 with a ball of earth adhering. Iloe frequently and keep all 

 runners nipped otT. Cover with coarse hay as soon as the ground 

 is well frozen, removing as soon as the ground ceases to freeze iu 

 spring. Then give a shallow hoeing, and when the fruit begins ta 

 color mulch sutliciently to conserve moisture and keep the fruit 

 clean. By the last of May such plants should touch each other 

 both ways and yield on an average one quart per plant in June ; 

 thus showmg a possible yield of 472 bushels per acre for the July 

 planting, or 313 bushels for the previous spring planting, the young 

 plants b, having higher possibilities than the older plants a. I do 

 not intend to convey the idea that everyone everywhere can achieve 

 such a result, but simply that it is possible, with all the conditions 

 favorable, as we have ample proof to demonstrate. Fruit of the 

 best quality is never rejected in the market. 



Before leaving the matter of culture, allow^ me to say that in all the 

 processes of stirring the soil, unnecessary tramping of the ground by 

 either teams or men should be avoided. In any horticultural oper- 

 ation there should be convenient paths for travel exclusively, and no 

 man or team should go elsewhere than in the paths when it can be 

 avoided. Man}' men in hoeing and weeding, by frequent and 

 unnecessary stepping actually do more harm than good. Imple- 

 ments for horse and man should be so constructed as to do the 

 most woi'k possible with a single passage or movement, and should 

 also be as light as possible, compatible with strength and 

 efiiciency. 



To go into all the minutiw of mode or frequency of culture, I 

 think unnecessary before an audience of experts, such as is con- 

 vened here. 



How shall we avoid deterioration of varieties, and keep our 

 stock good for continuous vigor, health, and productiveness ? We 

 may justly regard this as one of the most important points con- 

 nected Avith this subject ; and how to improve our stock is a 

 question of paramount importance. 



The principles involved in developing and improving fine stock 

 in the animal econonn', hold with equal force iu the vegetable 

 kingdom. Hence, only plants having all the good points we 

 desire to carry or to develop further, should be selected for our 

 stock-beds, and if we see at any time a plant void of these, it 

 should at once be pulled out and discarded. 



