SMALL FRUITS. 131 



Bwamp, the removal of the turf is the only way to sncceed with the cran- 

 berries. To pay $50 and 175 an acre to clear the ground, in addition to the 

 expense of dit<3liing, seems a large outlay, but when, the plants have estab- 

 lished themselves and you find that the acre has produced one hundred to 

 one hundred and fifty bushels erf berries, worth ii per bushel, the " light 

 shines from an entirely different quarter." Planting these hills three feet 

 apart each way gives both ample room and ct \nce for cultivation, and in a 

 couple of years the plants will occupy the entire ground, and if no chance is 

 given to seed the ground with weeds, the care of the Tinea will be quite a 

 small item for several years. 



Preparing Soil for Stra-vrberrieui — Upon this subject E. P. Boe writes 

 as follows: In the garden, light soils can be given a much more stable and 

 productive character, covering them with clay to the depth of one or two 

 inches every fall. The ^sinter's frost and rain mix the two diverse soils to 

 their mutual benefit Carting sand on clay is rarely remunerative; the 

 reverse is decidedly so, and top-dressing of clay on light land is often more 

 beneficial than equal amounts of manure. 



As practically employed, I regard quick stimulating manures, Uke guano, 

 very injurious to light soils. I beheve them to be the curse of the South. 

 They are used " to make a crop," as it is termed: and they do make it for a 

 few years, but to the utter impoverishment of the land. 



And yet, by the aid of these stimulating commercial fertilizers, tho 

 poorest and thinnest soil can be made to produce good strawberries if suf- 

 ficient moisture can be maintained. Just as a physician can rally an 

 exhausted man to a condition in which he can take and be strengthened by 

 food, so land, too poor and hght to sprout a pea; can be stimulated into pro- 

 ducing a meagre green crop of some kind, which plowed under, will enable 

 the land to produce a second and heavier burden. This, in turn, placed in 

 the soil, will begin to give a suggestion of fertihty. Thus poor or exhausted 

 soil can be made by several years of skillful management, to convalesce 

 slowly into strength. 



Coarse, gravelly soils are usually even worse. If we must grow our 

 strawberries on them giro the same general treatment that I have sug- 

 gested. 



On some peat soils the strawberry thrives abundantly; on others it bums 

 nd dwindles. With a soil, I should experiment with bone dust, ashes, et- 

 imtil I found just what was lacking. 



No written directions can take the place of common sense judgment, and 

 above all, experience. Soils vary like individual character. I have yet to 

 learn of a system of rules that will teach us how to deal with every man we 

 meet. It is ever ^"ise, however, to deal justly and liberally. He that 

 expects much from his land must give it much. 



I have dwelt at length upon the preparation and enrichment of the land, 

 ~ uce it is the comer stone of all subsequent success. Let me close by 

 mphasizing again the principle which was made prominent at first Though 

 we give our strawlierry plants everything else they need, our crop of fruit 

 will still be good or bad in proportion as we are able to maintain abundant 

 moisture during the blossoming and fruiting season. If provision can be 

 made for irrigation, it may increase the yield tenfold. 



WUen to Plant Sfra^vberries. — The above question is often asked, 

 and its answer must depend upon circv^mstapces. One fact about the straW'. 



