FIFTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING. 165 



cheek if it is grown right; of course, if it is grown in the shade 

 it is a poor colored peach. 



A Member: How about hard wood ashes? 



Mr. Lyman : If you put on enough of them it would be 

 all right. 



A Member: How much would you apply to an orchard? 



Mr. Lyman : On an orchard that is bearing a good crop 

 of peaches, say 800 baskets to the acre, you would want to put 

 on a number of tons. 



President Eddy : I will call now for the discussion on 

 "strawberries," which will be opened by Stancliff Hale of 

 South Glastonbury. 



Strawberries. 



Mr. Stancliff Hale: The subject assigned to me was 

 "how to get the greatest profit from strawberries." This 

 past year was the first year I have had any experience in grow- 

 ing strawberries solely for the fruit. As you know, our busi- 

 ness has been growing strawberry plants, and the crop of fruit 

 has been only incidental. I am going' to give you, not accurate 

 results in dollars and cents, because I can't do that, but I am 

 going to give you some statistics of what I think should be the 

 approximate cost, and what should be the approximate returns 

 from an acre of land, well cared for, in strawberries. We had 

 discussed strawberries for some time and at last decided we 

 would try the hill system. We had heard a great deal of it. 

 First I am going to give you what I think are fair figures on 

 the cost of growing the crop. A great many of the items may 

 be over and some may be under the average. I have taken 

 the rent of the land, and I have allowed six per cent, on a 

 hundred dollars for an acre a year, and that is charged against 

 the land. For the ploughing, harrowing and marking I have 

 allowed five dollars. I have allowed for eight thousand plants 

 at three dollars. And then ten cultivations with an ordinary 

 horse cultivator; I have allowed for that sixty cents a trip. 

 Five hoeings at three dollars a hoeyig, (some of you, I don't 

 doubt, will question that). For fertilizer (manure or com- 

 mercial fertilizer) I have allowed thirty-five dollars. Bas- 



