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28 



THE ILLINOIS E^HMEH. 



out. Trench plows his land a foot deep, 

 •without manure ; sets out his*plants while 

 in blossom, in rows three feet apart, and 

 die foot apart in the rows ; covers with 

 long manure after the first freeze in 

 winter, and if possible while snow is on 

 the ground ; rakes this off in the spring. 

 For the second season, let them stand 

 without any cultivation till the fruit is 

 off; then spade under a strip some four- 

 teen inches wide between the rows; rake 

 the ground smooth ; let new run- 

 ners fill up this space. Next season, 

 after^the fruit is off, spade under the old 

 rows in like manner, and so proceed 

 from year to year. It was easy to raise 

 strawberries. .; 



A large number of members spoke, 

 all approving Mr. Dunlap's culture, with 

 unimportant variations, if any. The 

 discussion was chiefly on a choice of va- 

 rieties for cultivation, and on this point 

 there was much diversity of opinion, 

 scarcely any one plant securing an una- 

 nimity of voices in its favor. Finally, by 

 votes more or less strong, the Early Scar- 

 let, Neck Pine and Hudson, were recom- 

 mended us suitable for general cultiva- 

 tion throughout the State, and Wilson's 

 Albany and the Iowa or Washington 

 were recommended for further trial. In 

 addition to these, the Extra Red and 

 Longworth's Prolific were strongly com 

 mended. 



During the discussion, L. Shaw of 

 Tazewell described his methop of trans- 

 porting the berries to market, in wide 

 but shallow boxes of lath, only three or 

 four inches deep, which he had found to 

 keep them in best condition. The boxes 

 are made of lath and hold four to six 

 quarts. He said it would not do to ship 

 in air-tight cans as tliey would sour and 

 mold. The boxes cost about one cent 

 per quart for material and making. 

 Has Ilovey's seedling from an undoubted 

 source; it is staminate, and very pro- 

 ductive. 



Several members stated that this plant 

 was a pistillate, but Mr. S. contended 

 that it was as true a Hovey as any, and 

 he would call the attention of gentlemen 

 to the fact that it took Mr. Hovey six- 

 teen years to decide on the sex of his 

 strawberry, and he believed he was yet 

 in doubt, 



Mr. Henry Shaw had compared the 

 plants of his father with some procured 

 from Mr. Hovey himself, and that they 

 were in all respects identical. 



Mr. Batehara had tried over forty 

 varieties, and found Burr's New Pine 

 the best, and Hovey 's seedling the worst; 

 it wont bear in his grounds ; Wilson's 

 Albany was not ot good flavor, but pro- 

 fitable for market ', Prolific Haughtboy's 

 with him is not prolific ; thinks well of 

 Hooker ; Peabody with him is poor, but 

 g^t Cleveland does better ; Extra Red is 



fine, a good grower and productive, the 

 fruit is rather acid, but sells well. 



Mr. Galusha finds the Neck Pine the 

 most productive ; Peabody is good, with 

 large fruit, but less productive than 

 Neck Pine, which was the berry for him. 



Mr. Edwards haa lost his last crop by 

 the June frost ; Neck Pine was his fa- 

 vorite for market ; had a high regard for 

 Early Scarlet, which had also proved 

 profitable. 



Mr. Kennicott had tried over thirty 

 varieties. For all the State the Early 

 Scarlet was the best, as it done well un- 

 der almost all circumstances. He had 

 found Neck Pine the most productive ; 

 Hovey's Seedling and Prolific Haught- 

 boy not productive. 



All agreed that when strawberry cul- 

 ture was divested of the mystery that 

 quacks had placed around it, we should 

 have plenty of this invaluable fruit. 



The Currant — was next taken up 

 In relation to this fruit, deep culture 

 and manure were recommended by nearly 

 all the speakers, and for central and 

 southern Illinois some shade seemed also 

 to find favor with most. 



Mr Edwards. The red Dutch is the 

 best of all currants; the white Dutch 

 and white grape, the best white currants; 

 black Naples is valuable for jelly. He 

 sets three by four feet and manures 

 heavilv; leached ashes are valuable — 

 grows the bush form. The Victoria is a 

 productive late variety, ten days later 

 than others. 



Mr. Pha3nix said the Victoria was 

 worthless. He was for the red and the 

 white Dutch. 



Mr. Dunlap, plants three by six feet, 

 so as to work with a horse, manures. 

 Had found those shaded in the afternoon 

 to do the best. 



Mr. Freeman, knew of a row on nortli 

 side of tight board fence and another 

 row through middle of the garden, both 

 well cultivated, but the one next the 

 fence did not produce one- fourth as 

 much as the other. 



Mr. Starr, sa'd that on the north side 

 of a picket fence they did much better 

 than in the open ground; he would make 

 a wide distinction between shade and 

 the cutting off the circulating air; cur- 

 rants needed air as well as shade. 



Mr. Kennicott, would use shada; but 

 too much shade would tend to excess of 

 acidity. In Egypt, the spring rains 

 drown out this plant, and underdraining 

 mvLAt be resorted to. The currant there 

 is of less value than at the north. 



GoosEnERRY. — Mr. Galusha said the 

 Houghton would mildew, but not to 

 damage it materially; is the best variety. 

 The general sentiment apparently was 

 that the only plan is to plant a kind tha: 

 wont't mildew; and Houghton's Seed- 

 ling was very generally concurred in as 

 one that mildews very little if at all. 



Mr. Bateham recommended also a 

 variety known as the American Seed- 

 ling, or Ohio Seedling, or Pale Red, 

 &c., which is however supposed to be of 

 French or German origin. Mr. Phoenix 

 mentioned favorably kinds known as the 

 English Green and the City. Hough- 

 ton's Seedling and Pale Red were 

 recommended by resolution for general 

 cultivation. 



Subsoil Plow. — Mr. Dunlap intro- 

 duced a steel subsoil plow, made by 

 Messrs. Deere & Co., of Moline, Illi- 

 nois. 



A recess was had to examine it, when 

 Messrs. Warder, Bragdon and Freeman, 

 explained its use and value, and the 

 thanks of the Society was voted Mr. 

 Deere for this valuable implement, and 

 it was also recommend for general use 

 in the preparation of all clay soils for 

 horticultural purposes. It is made after 

 the pattern of Mapes' steel subsoil 

 plow. Mr. Deere himself was present 

 with it. In shape its share is like a 

 somewhat elongated trowel laid on its 

 face or upper side, ridged up but very 

 slightly in the centre, and a little hol- 

 lowing under. It has no landside. 

 Team, from two horses to three yoke of 

 oxen. Dr. Warder suggested that the 

 share be fastened with a screw and nut, 

 so as to take it off when sending to the 

 shop to sharpen; as it was, the whole 

 plow must be sent. 



The Raspbekky — was then discussed, 

 with general concurrence in favor of 

 deep culture, and severe pruning. 



Dr Warder said the Purple Cane was 

 the berry for the north country, it roots 

 at the tips and thus sends up new shoots. 

 It was also valuable for wine. Mr. 

 Chas. H. Rosenstiel, of Freeport, had 

 found it perfectly hardy. By some, the 

 Doctor said, it was called English, but 

 he considered h an American varietv: it 

 never suckers, needs severe pruning, and 

 on the whole promises well for the State 

 at large. 



Mr. Galusha recommended the com- 

 mon Black Cap for general culture. 

 Mr. Kennicott and others concurred, and 

 it was so passed. The Allen Raspberry 

 was also put down as promising well. 

 Catawissa, Belle de Fontanay, and Ohio 

 Everbearing, were recommended for fall 

 crops. 



Mr. Sanders, would prefer Catawissa 

 for family; use it is too soft to carry, has 

 a musky flavor, should be severely cut 

 back in spring. 



Mr. Bateham, prefers the Belle de- 

 Fontanay, but to have a fall crop it must 

 be severely cut back; he would cut it 

 back to the ground. s . :•/ ;> 



Dr. "Warder, said those Everbearing 

 varieties should be severely cut back in 

 spring, or the fall crops would be light. 

 The season of this fruit could be extend- 

 ed some weeks by cutting back, say 



