DIFFERENT MODES OF CUTLURE. 



There are many different tastes and opinions as to the best way to grow Btrawberries, 

 some preferring one and some another mode of culture. Soil, climate and varieties 

 have very much to do with it, for some kinds, such as Dowser, Ida, Wilson, &c, 

 yield fair crops by any of the different modes of growing and in almost any soil and 

 climate ; while such sorts as Jucunda, Trioinphe de Gand, Barnes' Mammoth, &c, 

 require rich soil,i close attention, the best culture, and to be grown m hills and well 

 mulched to produce the best results. Those varieties that are hardy and have given 

 good satisfaction in all parts of the country, and that succeed well by any of the dif- 

 ferent methods of culture, we have prefixed a * to, while those that should have more 

 careful attention and be grown in " hills" or "hill and row system," and that require 

 the highest state of culture, we have not prefixed any star to. The first are not aa 

 large sorts, while the last. are of the finer, better kinds. 



The hill system is • objected to by many, in the colder portions of our country, on 

 account of not standing the extreme cold as well as when grown in matted rows. This 

 may be the case with many sorts that are liable to over-bear and put out new roots 

 slowly. Any person, by examining the figure of the large strawberry plant in this 

 work, will see how the roots are formed. Now, as soon as they are through fruiting, 

 the rew roots grow out above the old, and require soil to be drawn up to them — that is, , 

 wit! many varieties. The Triomphe, Jucunda, and some other sorts, not only root 

 abo e, but down as far as theold root extends ; hence the former are easily "heaved" 

 by vae frost and damaged, while the latter are not so easily affected in that way, and 

 are therefore better adapted to hill culture. Any person can judge as to the different 

 varieties in this respect, and learn which are the best adapted for hill culture by ex- 

 amining the roots of a plant, say three or four weeks' after bearing season. Those sorts 

 that throw out new roots and fibers all the way down the old root, are better adapted to 

 hill culture, a,nd will stand a number of seasons without renewing'; while those that 

 throw put all their new roots above the old are not adapted to hill culture, or at least 

 cannot be relied upon for more than two good crops. On the whole we prefer a 

 medium ground, adopting neither, if fruit is our main object. We much prefer what 

 we shall describe as the ''hill and row," for either garden or field culture, and while 

 we admire the strict " hill" system, where everything is favorable to it, yet we must 

 say that it has tome objections, one of these being that, if grubs kill out a hill here 

 and there, there will be an entire vacancy in the row, and another being that many 

 veiy productive sorts, such as Wilson's Albany, are apt to, die out from over bearing 

 — especially the second season ; while if allowed to throw but runners and form three 

 or four plants to each hill late in the fall, as described hereafter, the fruitfulness is 

 not affected and plants are there standing to take the place of the old ones. However, 

 we will endeavor to explain the different methods of culture and comments oil each. 

 First, the 



STOOL OR UILL SYSTEM. 



For garden culture, set one foot by eighteen inches or two feet, and for field culture 

 two to two and a half feet each way, or rows two and a half or three feet apart, and 

 one foot apart in the row, thus giving a chance to do nearly all the work with a fine 

 tooth narrow cultivator or harrow. Keep well cultivated and hoed and the runners 

 cut off. The latter need not necessarily be done as fast as they make their appearance, 

 but after a few have started out from each hill, and before they set any plants. By 

 waiting thus a number can be taken in the hand at once and clipped off very fast with 

 a pair of sharp shears or sharp knife, or by attaching to the side of the cultivator a 

 sharp wheel made out of an old buz saw. It is not necessary to cut the runners off 



