80 transactions of the american institute. 



Field and Garden Culture of Strawberries. 



The regular subject of the day, "Field and Garden Culture of Straw- 

 berries," was then called up. 



Mr. R. G. Pardee. — I consider spring planting as far preferable to 

 autumn. The plants are more likely to live, and are pretty sure to bear a 

 full crop the next year, while plants set out in autumn often make feeble 

 growth, and seem never to recover their full vigor. Wilson's seedling is 

 a variety that needs and will bear higher manuring than any other sort. 

 I have noticed frequently that it is a rare chance for plants set after July 

 to produce a crop the next year. I have tried all seasons of the year, and 

 know that spring planting is best. I am aware that some persons are very 

 successful in summer and fall planting — Mr. Fuller for one, but I notice he 

 shades his plants with boards. All staminate plants produce more runners 

 than pistillate plants, but none produce fruit and runners at the same time. 

 If it is an object to multiply plants, they should not be allowed to bear 

 fruit. New plants can be produced at a very rapid rate by stimulating 

 the roots, and the best thing for the purpose that I ever tried is sal soda 

 dissolved at the rate of one ounce in three gallons of water, and that 

 applied copiously. I have also used copperas in about the same propor- 

 tion, and so I have sulphate of potash, with wonderful results. I once had 

 eight plants of a very choice variety of strawberries, and a gardener 

 oflFered me thirty-one cents apiece for all the good plants that I would 

 deliver him in the fall, and by means of this stimulating process I had a 

 bill of over ^100 against him. It is no use to say that pure water would 

 produce the same effect; .it is not so — that I am fully satisfied of from 

 numerous experiments. Soap suds make an excellent application for 

 strawberries. There are some beds that will not produce fruit by any 

 kind of fertilizing, because they lack staminate plants. The sal soda 

 application that I have mentioned, if applied to a lawn, will double the 

 grass in thirty days. I have satisfied myself that the more we dilute the 

 stimulating fertilizers, the better for the crop. One spoonful of guano in 

 a pailful of water is better than a pound. To make a new bed of straw- 

 berries I would recommend the use of the salt and lime mixture to the 

 ground, and then plant it with potatoes, and after the crop is gathered 

 plow the ground well and plant the vines in rows three feet apart, and one 

 foot apart in the rows, use the cultivator freely, and thin the runners out 

 so that no plant should have less room than one foot. I believe that 150 

 bushels can be raised on an acre. Never let your strawberries mat. 



The Chairman remarked that farmers should remember the distinction 

 between sulphate and carbonate of potash; the first is a neutral salt. 



Mr. Adrian Bergen, of Long Island, inquired if the several salts mentioned 

 would suit all kinds of vegetation. 



Mr. Pardee and the Chairman both replied that there was no doubt about 

 the beneficial effects to all crops, of soda, potash, copperas, guano and 

 many other articles, if applied in as weak a solution as Mr. Pardee iised 

 for strawberries. 



Mr. Wm. S. Carpenter attributed much of the benefit supposed to be 

 derived from the soda, etc., to the water, as strawberries are extremely 



