STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETT. 65 



rna^'^ render such a course disastrous. In small fruit culture drought 

 is most to be feared, and were I to engage in that exclusively I should 

 first provide an abundant supply of water. Small fruits, especially 

 the strawberry, are hard drinkers, and should be well irrigated if at 

 all. A whole crop is sometimes cut off for want of water. At such 

 times to him who can irrigate, a drought is profitable. 



Now let us consider the blackberry. It delights in a moist, but 

 not wet soil. Clay is too heavy and gravel too light. If possible, I 

 would choose a place where the snow v/ould lie evenly in winter and 

 would not drift over the bushes. I should prefer a southeastern ex- 

 posure, and that there should be a natural protection from north 

 winds. The ground should be mellow, rich and free from sods. 

 Nature may be the best guide in the selection of soil and location. 

 I had a piece of land which had lieen cultivated as a garden for five 

 years and in spite of plowing, harrowing, cultivating and digging, the 

 wild blackberr}' bushes were determined to grow. I took a liint from 

 this, planted it with blackberries and got wondeiful returns. The 

 choice of the best variety is of the first importance and must be 

 settled by either individual or neighboring experiment. The loss of 

 money, the vexation and disappointment that I liave undergone has- 

 well-nigh discouraged me. I have been the pre3' of the peripatetic 

 nursery agent. 



He has beguiled my shekels ; he has deceived me for lo, these' 

 many years. At last in utter desperation, I set apart a piece of land 

 which I styled my experimental grounds and planted out several sup- 

 posed-to-be standard varieties. Some produced small berries, some 

 produced none, some were too intensely sour, some were coarse with' 

 large seeds, some had a core, others were fairly good, one, the 

 Agawam, was excellent in every respect. I pin my faith entirely on 

 that. Still I would not recommend it unreservedly to anybody out- 

 side m}' own vicinity. 1 have learned — what probably numbers of 

 people knew before — that a variety which is unsurpassed in one 

 locality may be quite ordinary in another. Different soil ma}- have 

 quite the same effect. I am informed that the Snyder is a grand 

 good berry in Kennebec County. I should advise any one who con- 

 templated planting a considerable area to experiment first with the 

 Agawam, the Snyder and the Hangor, and choose the best from 

 these. After finding out what is best suited to your soil, your local- 

 ity, and your palate, it is well to plant out only that sort. There is- 

 a namber of methods of propagating the plants. It may be done by 

 5 



