93 



The premium of f 10, for the best crop of Raspberries, to 

 Henrv K. West, of Haverhill. 



E. P. Richardson, for the Committee. 



STATEMENT OP BENJ. F. HUNTINGTON. 



The crop of Strawberries which I entered for premium was 

 raised on 147 41-100 rods of land, which in 1877 was a 

 bound out field of grass partially covered with White Birches, 

 Wild Cherry, Ground Hemlocks, etc., and did not yield three 

 hundred pounds of hay on the whole piece. In 1878 I dug up 

 the trees by the roots, broke the land and planted with corn, 

 using Stockbridge Fertilizer, three-fourths harrowed in and one- 

 fourth in the hill ; did not get enough corn to pay for manure. 

 In 1879, I planted with potatoes, using about four cords of 

 manure, harrowed in and Bradley's Phosphate mixed with 

 Plaster, half and half in each hill. Had a fair crop of pota- 

 toes. On a part of the land, forty-two bushels from one 

 bushel planted. I mention this crop to prove that straw- 

 berries can be raised with success after a good crop of potatoes ; 

 some contend that this crop is not good for strawberries 

 to follow, but I have always better success after potatoes 

 than corn. In the spring of 1880 I spread 1\ cords of stable 

 manure ploughed in, then ploughed again across the furrows ; 

 then harrowed in 100 bushels leached ashes with a Randall 

 Harrow. I marked the rows 4| feet apart, then furrowed two 

 rows at a time. I set the plants about 15 inches apart in the 

 rows. During the summer the ground was kept clear of 

 weeds and the runners placed as near even as practicable. 

 About the first of November, a light coat of pine needles was 

 put on to serve as a part of covering and also as a mulch for 

 the coming summer. The 25th of November, a good covering 

 of salt hay, enough to cover all the plants, was spread on. In 

 the spring the hay was taken ofi", and the pine needles left on 

 as a mulch. The following is the cost of cultivation. 



