Augu&t, 1913. 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



18T 



these the central part is also dead and, 

 of course, useless. The lower part of 

 the crown tissue above the roots also 

 shows in most cases a like discolora- 

 tion. 



Chlorosis or Yellowing of Grapes: 

 The foliage of a very large number 

 of grapes shows this year a pronounced 

 yellowish tinge, due to early spring 

 frosts. Wordens have been noted as 

 especiallj' troubled in this way. The 

 strips or areas most affected by the dis- 

 astrous frost of May 27 now show more 



of this chlorosis than the rest of the 

 grape district. It is not thought that 

 any permanent yellowing will result, 

 but that it is a temporary condition 

 only that will disappear next year. 



Asparagus Curl: Many of the late 

 asparagus shoots come up curled and 

 dwarfed with a brownish streak on the 

 inner side of the curl. This also was 

 due to the late spring frosts which 

 slightly injured the shoots on one side 

 near the growing point and brought 

 about an irregular growth when the 

 shoot elongated. 



Success in Strawberry Growing 



UNUSUAL success has attended the 

 efforts of Mr. Geo. Johnson, of 

 Peterborough, Ont., as a grower 

 of strawberries. His start was made 

 almost by accident. While busily occu- 

 pied a few years ago farming ninety 

 acres of land, he yielded to the sug- 

 gestions of his family and put in five 

 rows of strawberries at one end of a 

 small field, "just for family use." 

 That was four years ago. The small 

 family-sized plot of berries proved a 

 pleasant revelation to Mr. Johnson of 

 the possibilities of intensive cultiva- 

 tion, as the five rows which had been 

 intended to supply only the require- 

 ments of the family yielded an addi- 

 tional revenue of $104 from berries 

 sold. 



The following year, Mr. Johnson set 

 out half an acre. This also proved pro- 

 fitable, with the result that the next 

 year he had one and one-half acres in 

 bearing. Markets favored his new 

 venture, and all of the crop was sold at 

 prices ranging from twelve cents to 

 eighteen cents a box. From his one 

 and one-half acres, Mr. Johnson picked 

 5,100 boxes. When the boxes had been 

 paid for and picking expenses de- 

 ducted, he found that he had realized 

 $670 from the small area in fruit. 



In 1915 the market was not so fa- 

 voi*able, and equally satisfactory re- 

 turns were not realized, but still they 

 compared to advantage, considering 

 the labor and capital expended, with 

 the returns from the remainder of the 

 farm, on which general farming was 

 still practiced. Herbert raspberries 

 have been added, and have proved 

 almost equally satisfactory with the 

 strawberries. 



"Senator Dunlap and Parsons are 

 my favorite varieties," Mr. Johnson 

 informed a representative of The 

 Canadian Horticulturist who visited 

 him in the picking season this summer. 

 "We set the rows three and one-half 

 feet apart, and the plants two feet 

 apart in the row. We allow the run- 

 ners to run freely, and all the training 

 they get is that given by the cultivator. 

 Of course we aim to cultivate the same 

 way each time. We aim to take two to 

 three crops off a bed. I have made 

 more money by following this practice 

 than by plowing down after the first 

 crop has been harvested." 



In one respect, Mr. Johnson's 

 methods differ radically from the 

 methods of other fruit growers in his 

 section. "Many have the idea," he 

 said, "that the strawberry plantation 



should be kept clean the first year but 

 not touched the following spring until 

 the crop is off. We followed the com- 

 mon practice at first, and one year the 

 weeds stood a foot high over the whole 

 bed, but we did not dare to pull them. 

 That year was the first cropping sea- 

 son for the bed, and we should have got 

 a maximum crop. Instead, we got a 

 poor crop. The next year we cleaned 

 that bed thoroughly in the spring, and 

 the result was larger pickings through- 

 out the season. ' ' 



The cultivator is kept going con- 

 stantly in the Johnson plantation, even 

 during the picking season. "Moisture 

 conservation is an absolute necessity 

 to a good crop of berries," said Mr. 

 Johnson. "Rain will spatter more 

 sand on the berries than the scuffler 

 ever does." 



Barnyard manure is the staple fer- 

 tilizer. Mr. Johnson plans to grow 

 roots the first year, applying a good 

 coat of manure to them. Berry plants 

 are set the folloAving spring, and they 

 receive a second and equally heavy 

 coat of manure. 



Factors which have contributed to 

 Mr. Johnson's success have been the 

 fact that the soil on his farm is par- 

 ticularly suited to small fruit culture, 

 while one of the best markets in On- 

 tario, the city of Peterborough, is only 

 a couple of miles distant. These con- 

 ditions have enabled him of late to se- 

 cure a larger return from his what are 

 now five acres in small fruit than he 

 formerly obtained from his farm of 

 ninety acres. 



The Berry Patch 



What treatment should be given the 

 raspberry plantations which have 

 borne berries this season? The best 

 treatment is to cut out the old canes 

 as soon as they are done bearing. The 

 new canes should also be cut to '.he 

 proper number in each place, usually 

 about five. The material which has 

 been cut out should be carried out of 

 the patch and burned. In this way 

 mucli decay and other fungous trouble 

 will be avoided. There are also many 

 insects in the various stages from egg 

 to adult which are destroyed by this 

 practice. Another thing that is gained 

 is the better development of the canes 

 which are to bear next year. They get 

 more sunlight by such a plan. 



When the canes have been cut out 

 and burned, it is a good plan to cul- 

 tivate between the rows. Stir up the 

 ground which has been tramped by the 

 pickers and thus put it in condition 

 for the continued growth of the plants. 



The strawberry patch from which Mr. Johnson, of Peterboro, has obtained his profitable re.sult.s. 



A group of highbush cranberries in 

 the back yard not only adds color to 

 the yard in autumn, but also furnishes 

 a good jelly material close at hand. 



