82 transactions of the american institute. 



Strawberry Beds — Should they be Cultivated ? 



This question was pretty fully discussed, with the conclusion, in the 

 affirmative that the best results are produced by digging and working 

 strawberry beds. The hoeing should be done before the plants blossom, 

 and then be allowed to rest until after the fruiting season. 



Mr. Carpenter said ashes is the best manure. Bone dust is good, and 

 so is superphosphate. 



Prof. Mapes. — The great want of the strawberry plant is potash, and 

 the great want of fruit is tannic accid. 



Dr. Trimble. — I find the best result in allowing the vines to run into 

 new ground, and then turn over the old bed and manure it, and then let 

 the runners cover it again with new plants, and so alternate. I find the 

 Bartlett one of the best strawberries that I have grown. 



Mr. Carpenter said that strawberries are supposed to exhaust land 

 rapidly, but Mr. Knox, of Pittsburg, thinks that they do not injure grape 

 vines when grown among them. 



Prof. Mapes. — I do not know that strawberry vines will injure grape 

 vines, but I am sure that they are seriously injured by growing rhubarb 

 near them. 



Preserving Snap Beans for Winter use. 



Prof. Mapes stated that snap beans, if pickled in a dry day, and packed 

 in dry, fine salt, will keep in the same condition through the winter. 

 Adjourned. 



John W. Chambers, Secretary. 



May 12, 1863. 



Mr. Norman Francis, of New York, in the chair. 



Gooseberry Blight in Indiana. 



Jason Hubbell, Jervis, De Kalb county, Ind., writes. May 4, and incloses 

 a gooseberry twig, with leaves half inch across. He says: 



" I inclose a stem of an English gooseberry; it is early and vigorous in 

 the spring, blossoms full, grows very encouragingly until some time in 

 June; then mildews, leaves crisp, fruit drops — none ever come to maturity. 

 Can the club give a remedy ? It stands in clay soil well manured." 



Prof. Mapes. — I do not know as it will prove a complete remedy in the 

 case named, but I do know that I have found it to my advantage to cut out 

 branches so that none will grow nearer than five inches apart. This is for 

 the purpose of giving a good circulation of air through the branches. I 

 also find mulching beneficial, and the best material is salt hay, which I cut 

 fine in a chaffing machine. 



Dr. Trimble. — I suppose all this is beneficial, but how shall we account 

 for the fact that some persons do grow gooseberries without any apparent 

 effort? 1 know one man in Newark, who has his bushes growing promis- 

 cuously all about the garden, some of them under trees, with but little 

 care, and he always has good fruit, while mine and others that are well 



