102 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



essential and shonkl be looked into carefully, for while a 

 fairly dry soil will grow good plants, it is unable to carry 

 tlirougli the crop at picking time if the weather happens to 

 be at all dry. In such cases some form of artificial irrigation 

 will have to be employed. This will make an added expense 

 and is not necessary, provided the right land is chosen in 

 the first place. Soils can be improved, a wet soil drained 

 by the use of tiles and stone drains, and a dry soil made 

 moist by cultivation and the addition of some form of humus. 

 One form of soil to be avoided in the cultivation of small 

 fruit is that where hardpan is very near the surface. If 

 there is hardpan 3 or 4 feet below the surface, so much the 

 better, as this is a moisture-retaining subsoil, but it should 

 never be nearer than 2 feet to the surface. Sloping land 

 bearing to the east or west is to be preferred to that bearing 

 north or south. The slope serves to drain surplus water dur- 

 ing the winter and spring. A gradual slope is better than a 

 steep one, as the latter is so apt to wash during the spring 

 rains. One of the worst places to plant small fruits, and in 

 particular the strawberry, is on land where there are many 

 small depressions which have no chance to drain. 



One very important matter to be considered in the growing 

 of small fruits is that -of pickers, for as these are very per- 

 ishable crops, and must be handled quickly, we must have 

 an abundance of good help near by, although now, with the 

 motor truck as a factor in handling both crop and help, this 

 need is not as important as it used to be. Some growers are 

 now bringing their fruit pickers 20 miles by motor, return- 

 ing them to their homes at night, using the truck between 

 times to get the fruit to market. As we build better roads 

 and open up more country, the question of handling our crop 

 is going to be solved very well by the use of the motor truck, 

 and we may look forward to the not distant future when 

 this vehicle will be the means of taking our products direct 

 to the door of the consumer, thus eliminating the rather ex- 

 pensive middleman. 



One thing is very certain, and that is, that compared with 

 the consumption of small fruit abroad, our people are not 

 using enough here, and it should be our endeavor as growers 



