The Canadian Horticulturist. 163 



PLAIN HINTS ON FRUIT GROWING.— IV. 



LITTLE ECONOMIES AND EXPERIENCES. 



NE of the greatest elements to forward the fruit-growing interest is 

 success ! It is a late-coined adage that " nothing succeeds like suc- 

 cess," and to this we may add " nothing encourages as much as suc- 

 cess." How to succeed should be the theme of every one who engages 

 in fruit-growing, and this implies the question of economy and good 

 management. The article in August Horticulturist of last year, 

 headed " Small Orchards," is very pat on the economic theme, and 

 deserves a hearty, practical endorsement by all who expect to succeed 

 in the work of fruit-growing. I once inspected a fruit garden of ten acres, back 

 of the. mountain near Montreal, from which the owner told me he realized a net 

 profit of $1,000 per year on an average. I call that a success, and it has encouraged 

 me very much in my little efforts in the fruit industry. Of course this garden was 

 managed carefully on the scale of economy. There was no expenditure that was 

 not profitably utilized, and no waste allowed ; everything being done with an eye 

 to profit and safe return. Three years ago, I read a little work called " Ten 

 Acres Enough," which practically illustrated what might be profitably realized on 

 a ten-acre farm with right management But as I believe in theory and practice 

 going hand in hand, I will not advance anything but what I have proven practi- 

 cally. 



As " economies and experiences " afford much range of detail, one feels 

 hardly " up to the occasion " in doing the theme ample justice, but as every 

 one in any particular line of effort, can add something to the common stock of 

 experience to encourage his fellows in the same line, however meagre that ex- 

 perience may be, it behooves each one to add his mite for the common interest. 

 Every one whose heart is in his work, will devise and improvise something that 

 he has never seen, done nor heard of, and if he makes a note of it for the bene- 

 fit of others, he aids in helping up the interest which cheers and encourages many 

 besides himself. 



Last year, that I might not lose the use of the land I wished to set out in 

 strawberries, first planted it with corn in hills three feet each way, setting three 

 strawberry- plants between each two hills of corn. 



The plants did well in the shade of the corn, and the hillage of the com 

 suited that of the berry plants ; and in the fall the corn was cut for fodder and 

 carried off and " stooked " on the margin of the plat. Later on, after the frost 

 is in the ground, a clip with a narrow hoe will cut off the stub that remains of 

 the corn stalk, and the plat is ready to cover for winter protection. I covered 

 this year with brush, both evergreen and deciduous, which I find keeps on the 

 snow late, also keeps it from caking down into ice on the plants while it is melt- 

 ing, if a freezing time comes before it is all away. 



