Thk Canadian Horticui.turist. 



SMALL FRUITS. 



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NDER how many obligations we are to the Experiment Stations for 

 their valuable experiments, and valuable notices on small fruits. 

 Under the head of small fruits, we class first the strawberry. Special 

 stress is placed on the ease and cheapness of growing this fruit bv 

 farmers, and thus allowing every family to be able to have straw- 

 berries for all purposes, with but little expense of money or time. 

 We would urge more forcibly this matter of small fruit growing upon 

 the attention of the average farmer, and show the large profit both in health and 

 money to be derived from a small fruit plantation of the several varieties of 

 fruits that mature early, and in paying results, in from one to three years. One 

 objection usually raised by farmers when asked to grow small fruits is the lack 

 of time and skill. These objections may be answered by saying that the time 

 necessary to plant one-fourth of an acre of strawberries need not be more than 

 to plant the same area of cabbage or potatoes ; and, as to skill, any one who 

 has set cabbage, celery, or sweet potatoes, can set strawberry plants. The 

 knowledge of the fact that one must set perfect-flowering varieties, with im- 

 perfect varieties, is essential, but, further than that, clean tillage is the only verv 

 important point to be impressed on one's mind. The item of the cost of plants 

 is also reckoned as one of the hindrances to the cultivation of this fruit, and, 

 viewed in this way, it is a very large item ; but, if plants of any of the older, 

 well-tested varieties are selected, they can be bought by the thousand, cheaper 

 than many of the newer varieties can be bought by the hundred. One can get 

 any of the standard varieties at about four dollars per thousand, which, if set in 

 rows three feet apart and the plants two feet apart in the rows, will take seven 

 thousand two hundred and sixty plants per acre, making one-fourth of an acre 

 cost from five to eight dollars for plants. The further cost depends on tht- 

 amount of tillage given and the expense of help. While the returns will usuallv 

 average from four to five hundred quarts to one-fourth of an acre, which, if cal- 

 culated at ten cents a quart, will more than pay for plants and labor, leaving 

 only the labor for the second year's crop, which often is the best, and at the same 

 time gives runners to set a new plantation. 



The New York State Bulletin says, if planting for a fancy market, use the fol- 

 lowing varieties : For early, Haverland, VanDeman ; medium season, Bubach, 

 Sharpless, Burt ; for late, Crawford, Middlefield, Parker Earle, Gandy ; if for 

 distant market, VanDeman, Stayman No. i, Burt ; for near market, the last men- 

 tioned varieties with the addition of Beder Wood, Parker Earle, and, possibly. 

 Mount Vernon : thus, having VanDeman to pollenize Haverland, Bubach be- 

 tween Sharpless and Burt : Middlefield between Parker Earle and Gandy. Most of 

 these varieties have become so well known, and so extensively propagated, that 

 they can be bought so very reasonably, and they will increase so rapidly, that, 



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