APPENDIX. 139 



The month of May is, perhaps, the best time for setting 1 straw- 

 berry plants in this latitude, though good results often follow fall 

 setting". Two very important considerations in setting the plants 

 are that the crowns be just even with the surface of the earth and 

 that the soil be pressed firmly about the roots. These points can- 

 not be too strongly emphasized, for to their disregard may be 

 traced more than half the failures in starting new plantings. 



For general field culture the "matted row" system is probably 

 best. The rows should be as long as convenient, that most of the 

 labor of cultivating may be performed with a horse. The plants 

 should be set eighteen inches apart in rows which are about four feet 

 apart. Thus placed, a little more than seven thousand plants will 

 be required for an acre. During the first season thorough culture 

 should be practiced. It is also well to keep the runners cut back 

 till the parent plants are strong and well developed. 



Winter protection of the plants is always advisable. The value 

 of such treatment is two fold: Not only are the plants protected 

 from injury, but the fruit is kept clean and bright. The best 

 material for the purpose is coarse meadow hay cut before the seeds 

 have ripened. We have sometimes used "shingle edgings" with 

 very satisfactory results. In the vicinity of large mills this material 

 may often be obtained much more cheaply than the hay. 



On light gravelly soils we have sometimes resorted to the use of 

 boards on each side of the row of plants as illustrated below: 



This device is found a very satisfactory means of conserving 

 moisture and will permit the growth of plants in locations which 

 wotdd otherwise be unsuitable. Naturally this device is recom- 

 mended only for the home garden. 



The question of varieties, although of great importance, is one 

 which must be settled largely by individual growers; for the 

 success of any variety will frequently depend on local conditions. 

 It is always a good plan to have a trial ground for the newer sorts, 

 as varieties of much promise at the Experiment Station may prove 

 worthless in some localities. 



In selecting varieties for planting it is well to bear in mind the 

 distinction between the perfect flowering and the pistillate sorts. 

 Many of our most valuable sorts are pistillate and must have some 

 perfect flowering variety interspersed in order to secure the best 

 results. 



The following notes represent our estimate of the varieties 

 fruited at the Experiment Station during the past two years: 



Beeder Wood. (Perfect). — Small, spherical, uniform in size early in 

 the season but soon "runs out." One of the earliest and most prolific 

 sorts but of inferior quality. Plants quite subject to rust. 



