JlO 



There are many modes of cultivation, each of which have their strong advocates. 

 We have heretofore strongly advocated the matted row system, but after careful and 

 practical comparisons, we are satisfied that the "hill," or "hill and row" method is 

 the best, one year after another, in most localities, although we have received many 

 letters from extreme cold sections, claiming that they stand the winter better when 

 grown In matted rows. The fruit average double the size, the crop double, and on 

 most soils with less labor. In hills, they form such strong, bushy tops, that the fruit 

 and blossoms are protected from severe late Spring frosts thereby. Some Springs we 

 have had late frosts in May, that nearly ruined our plantations that grew in matted 

 rows, while those grown in hills were but slightly damaged, and yielded a very heavy 

 crop.' Another reason is, that the heavy tops mat down around the crown in the 

 Winter, and protect it from the action of the frost, while those grown in the matted 

 row form but small tops, and are not thus protected. It is well, however, to scatter 

 around the hills plenty of mulching before winter sets in. Again, if the ground should 

 be weedy, they are attended to with much less work and care than if allowed to throw 

 out runners. The work can nearly all be done with the hoe and cultivator, while if 

 in matted rows it has to be done with the fingers, which is very laborious indeed. 



There are sorts that must be grown in hills to produce well, (those having no * 

 prefixed are of this sort,) and none but what do better grown thus. ■ 



HAVE STRAWBERRIES CEASED TO BE PROFITA. 



BLE? 



We have read many articles, and had the question, often asked us, " Have straw- 

 berries ceased to be profitable ? Will they pay at eight cents per quart ? To the first, 

 we answer most emphatically, no; to the last, yes. In taking this position, we do not 

 wish to be understood as writing from a stand-point where land is 'worth $500 to 

 $1,000 per acre (and badly "run" at that), manure at two dollars per cord, and other 

 things in proportion ; but rather on land near any of our villages, that can be bought 

 for §80 to $150 per acre, manure from swamp muck, leaf mould, leached ashes, sods 

 from the roadsides and from the villages, to be had for almost the drawing. Still, 

 we wish to be understood that strawberries can be grown on the first named ground 

 at even six cents per quart, and pay better than the best crop of potatoes to be found 

 about such cities. And if this is so, one can see at a glance how profitable they will 

 ! prove on rich virgin soil, or, in fact, on any soil that will grow good corn or potatoes ; 

 such soil requiring but little, if any, manure, providing the plants are thoroughly 

 worked and well mulched. Some of the most successful cultivators claim that they 

 can raise large and fine crops and vines on poor soil, if it is only kept well worked and 

 mulched, thus showing that it need not necessarily follow that strawberries cannot be 

 made profitable because land is poor. 



We admit that if strawberrries are grown on the " slip-shod" plan, they will not 

 really prove profitable. Cannot the same be said of any crop, especially if grown on 

 very high priced land ? We claim that we can get a far better crop of fruit from 

 strawberry plants than from pig-weeds, chick-weeds, and the like, and the more the 

 ground is occupied by the first, and the less by the last, the better the crop, and met 

 versa. We cannot "gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles." 



One very important fact to be taken into consideration is that it costs no more tt 

 grow good and pure varieties than inferior and mixed up sorts ; and second, that ii 

 costs no more (except in the original plants) to cultivate a row that has been thickly 

 set with plants, than one where the plants were set too far apart — the consequence 

 being that the first form perfect rows, with the ground fully occupied, with no vacan- 

 cies, while the last are very imperfect and the ground not half occupied— the crop on 

 the first being double to triple of the last. 



_ We have found how true this last is from bitter experience. We have had rows 

 sixteen rods long that had been set thickly, plants ten to twelve inches apart in the 

 row, and as these run they formed fine wide matted rows all through, with no vacan- 

 cies, and yielded through the season three to four bushels of fruit, while other rows 

 near them, that were set late in the Spring, or on new sod ground and that died out 

 badly, leaving long vacancies, yielded but half a bushel to a bushel of fruit, or really 

 only about one-fourth as much— both costing the same to prepare the ground, cultiva- 

 tion and labor, the same tax and interest on land, and the same, if not more, work is 

 mulching and mulching material. It is right here that many make a failure in th« 

 business. They set any way almost, and very late in the season, and then if plan+J 



