No. 4.] FRUIT CULTURE. 129 



was badly rusted. I hope it may do better with me, as it 

 has made a strong, healthy growth. 



I set four thousand plants of the Brandy wine in May, 

 1896. They surpassed all others in vigor of plant growth 

 and clean, healthy foliage. There were taken from these 

 rows last spring more than forty thousand plants. The first 

 berries that ripened were splendid in size, color and quality, 

 but later they were smaller, owing, I believe, to there being 

 too many plants in the beds. I shall have an opportunity 

 another season of testing it under difierent conditions, as I 

 have the one-half acre of old beds, one-half acre set last 

 spring and one-half acre in hills transplanted in August. 



I fruited the Rio last season, a handsome early berry of 

 good quality. It blossomed profusely, but frost lessened 

 the production, so I could not judge it fairly. The Noble 

 and the Eleanor I found of fine form and color, of superior 

 flavor and excellent for the home garden. The Eureka, 

 Sunrise, Sunny side and Leader have nothing to commend 

 them above the Bubach, Greenville, Jesse and others of the 

 older varieties. I have growing, but have not fruited, the 

 Clyde, Bismarck, Glen-Mary, Hunn and Michigan. I plant 

 five or six of the new varieties each year that are so highly 

 extolled in the catalogues, and sometimes get one or two 

 good enough to keep. 



Now, assuming that the plants are set, start the twelve- 

 tooth cultivator, and as soon as the roots have taken hold 

 of the soil, the weeder, loosening only the surface soil and 

 killing the weeds before they grow. As some kinds are 

 such plant makers that the row is likely to be too wide, 

 fasten two rolling-wheel coulters to the wings of a five-tooth 

 cultivator, set it the proper width, add weight sufficient to 

 make the coulters penetrate the ground three or four inches, 

 drive between the rows and cut the runners and bury the 

 ends. After the ground freezes, cover to keep the frost in 

 and protect against sudden changes. I use short, strawy 

 horse manure from the city stables, and apply evenly with 

 a Kemp manure spreader, the back part being contracted 

 to deliver it about three feet wide. 



Much is being said and written about cultural methods, 

 particularly for the strawberry. Statements arc published 



