AN OPEN LETTER 



TO THE READER. 



A.VING received so many and varied questions concerning 

 the culture of small fruits, especiall}' strawberries, and 

 ^ finding it quite impossible to answer them separately, 

 by letter, I have been led to reply by the following 

 brief manual. . 



At the same time I shall aim to do more. This is a busy 

 age, and neither time nor money is abundant. There are multi- 

 tudes who would gladly see upon their tables the delicious ber- 

 ries in their season, and if they knew how easily and readily they 

 could be raised, would certainly cultivate them. But having 

 made some crude experiments with but poor, or partial success, 

 they come to think that some mystery is involved and that 

 before they can grow small fruits themselves there must be con- 

 siderable outlay, reading or practical instruction. But nature 

 is not so chary of her best gifts and, like the sunshine, she places 

 strawberries within the reach of all who own or hire a few square 

 feet of land. 



While the rich amateur with his trained gardener, and the 

 practical and scientific fruit-grower by his skill can secure 

 rem.'irkable results, I shall try to show the hurried professional 

 and business man, the driving farmer, the lady rurally inclined, 

 that they, by a little knowledge and labor, can readily supply 



