lOI 



of high priced land, and to my mind such reports are mis- 

 leading. The owner's labor ought to be added to the cost 

 as well as the hired labor. He cites the price he received 

 in the city for his crop. Can any one go to market for 

 nothing ? 



I never found any one that would market my products 

 and find team for the fun of doing it. 



J. S. Needham, Committee. 



STATEMENT OF J. WEBB BARTON, DANVERS, OF STKAW- 

 BEEKY CHOP. 



The land had been in grass several years and at the 

 time of ploughing (1891) was largely June grass. The 

 preparation of the soil was very thorough, and before set- 

 ting plants, one ton of Canada ashes was harrowed in. 

 The rows were four feet apart and the plants 18 to 24 in- 

 ches apart. 



The varieties were Haverland, Buboch No. 5 and Cres- 

 cent, with Chas. Downing as a fertilizer. There were also 

 a few Gaudy, Warfield, Sharpless and Belmont. On a por- 

 tion of the bed the plants made poor growth and also some 

 were killed by the white worm, larva of the June beetle. 

 Considerable work was done filling in tliese places in July, 

 and some time was also spent in placing runners. The 

 plants were allowed free growth. In July, 500 pounds of 

 ground bone was cultivated in. After the ground had 

 frozen the bed was covered with meadow hay. This was 

 removed in the spring and 950 pounds home made fertili- 

 zer applied, and the entire bed was weeded by hand. A 

 large number of plants were taken up and I allow this to 

 balance the first cost of plants. About ten days previous 

 to the first picking, the foliage began to show signs of in- 

 jury, and in the Warfield this proved serious enough to af- 

 fect the fruit both in size and quantity. 



The first berries were picked June 13, and the last pick- 



