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J. C. Metcalfe, Hammond: In -reply to yours re inquiry as to straw- 

 berries, may say that I recommend Excelsior, Warfield, Magoon, for home 

 use and local market, and Wilson for shipping. I recommend spring for 

 planting, narrow hedge row for light soils and varieties that do not make 

 runners abundantly; hill system for heavy soil and varieties that make 

 runners abundantly; shallow, frequent and clean cultivation up to within 

 two weeks of picking fruit. Yes, I recommend mulching in November with 

 first frost, with meadow hay cut early, or straw. Mulch should be taken off 

 as early in spring as possible; then put back under the plants and between 

 rows after last cultivation. ' 



W. C. Grant, Gordon Head: After ten years' experimental work with 

 strawberries and covering some 2oO varieties, we have discarded all except 

 Sharpless for local market and Magoon for shipping. If confined to one 

 variety, would select Magoon ; it is the variety that is to bring fame yet 

 unknown to Southern Vancouver Island growers. Under proper conditions 

 of handling, this variety will stand up in perfect condition for a period of 

 nine to ten days; it far excels the Clarke's Seedling or the famous Hood 

 River berry, as tested here. Fall planting has been tried two different 

 seasons, with exactly the same results. We have come to the conclusion, 

 speaking from a commercial standpoint, fall planting is not n paying propo- 

 sition. Spring planting has always given satisfactory results. The hill 

 system is the only practical method of growing strawberries successfully in 

 our climate, owing to the dense growth of weeds during the winter months. 

 By following the hill system we can hoe during January and February when 

 weeds are starting out rapidly, especially from the 15th February to the 1st 

 March. We plant rows 3 ft. 6 in. apart, plants stand in row 1 ft. 6 in. 

 apart. Cultivate with 12-tooth Planet Junior horse cultivator and pulveriser 

 combined, running the cultivator every week to ten days where the land is in 

 condition up to the time of putting on the mulch, running the cultivator from 

 one inch to one and one-half inches deep. After crop is harvested, run culti- 

 vator once or twice full depth to break up the crust that has been formed by 

 the repeated tramping of the pickers. Mulch with oat or wheat straw when 

 the first berries are about the size of peas; if done at this time all the fruit 

 stems are standing up and the straw can be spread between the plants and no 

 lifting of fruit stems is necessary. Pick the beds daily, removing all berries 

 that show signs of colour. When the bed is properly picked, every remaining 

 berry is green; if a trace of colour is showing, the work is not thoroughly 

 done, and under good weather conditions any berry left on the vines with 

 slight colour will be over-ripe by next picking. By this method the berries 

 will reach the distant markets in prime condition and will colour up thor- 

 oughly, provided care has been exercised in picking and cooling the fruit off, 

 etc. Cooling the fruit is of great importance, and must be attended to if 

 satisfactory results are to follow. Place in a cool place over-night one crate 

 deep with 2x4 scantling below each end of crates, and turn lid of crate with 

 cleats down on top of crate; in the morning nail the tops on crate, and 

 deliver for shipping early before the heat of the day has advanced. If 

 handled this way and the berries kept in a cool place constantly, Magoons will 

 be in good condition nine days from time of picking. 



