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THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



279. Different systems of cultivation. Hill culture is the ideal for the home garden if labor is no object. 

 Each plant is grown by itself, one foot apart, in rows three feet apart. No runners allowed to grow, no [lowers 

 to set the first year. The most intensive system: produces the best berries: requires the most care 



Michel's Early is an old reliable berry, pleas- 

 ing in color and quality. The berries are 

 rather undersized and the plant is not a heavy 

 yielder. Johnson's Early is an improvement 

 on Michel's. Climax is a newer variety, with 

 vigorous plants and fruit of high quality and 

 beautiful appearance. 



of high quality and beautiful color; its 

 foliage is very handsome. Among the later 

 of the midseason sorts is the Brandywine, 

 with an established reputation. The plants 

 are about perfect in character, and are uni- 

 formly good bearers in almost every soil. It 

 holds its fruit well from the ground ; the ber- 



280. The wide matted row. the commonest system, because the easiest. Rows set three to four feet 

 apart: plants eighteen inches apart in the rows. Runners allowed to root at will, within bounds of the row. 

 For best berries thin runners during first season. This is the lazy man's method 



Midseason. — The midseason varieties are 

 almost numberless. The Cumberland is 

 valuable. It is very sweet, having so little 

 acidity that invalids, and those who cannot 

 take acid fruit, may eat it with impunity. 

 William Belt is good, with a glossy red color 

 and fine flavor. Nick Ohmer is large in size, 



ries are large, of fine flavor and good color. 

 If we could have but one variety it would 

 unquestionably be the Brandywine. 



Varieties to Avoid. — Among the well- 

 known midseason berries are some which 

 the home gardener had better avoid. The 

 old Sharpless is one of these, being ill shaped, 



281. The narrow matted row is twelve inches across; the wide row is two feet or more. The narrow row 

 offers better opportunity for cultivation, and is better for early crops. The dominant commercial system 



often cockscombed, and ripens with a white 

 tip which condemns any sort. Another is 

 the much recommended Glen Mary, which 

 is too large in size for beauty or excellence, 

 is ill shaped, and also ripens with a white tip. 



Late. — In the late varieties we find the 

 greatest excellence of flavor. In the North, 

 where there happens to be limited space, so 

 that there is not room for many sorts, it is 

 well to purchase the early supply for the 

 family and devote all the energies to the 

 superb later kinds. First among these we 

 place the Marshall. It is the gentleman's 

 berry. It is not so prolific as the Brandy- 

 wine and some others, but it fully makes up 

 for this in other qualities. The plants are 

 good; the berries are large and well shaped; 

 the color is very dark, and rich, and the same 

 all through the flesh ; the consistency is about 

 perfect, and the flavor seems to suit every 

 taste. Every family should grow the Mar- 

 shall. Upon clay soils the Gandy is very 

 valuable; the plants are fine; it is a good 

 bearer and the color is very bright and pleas- 

 ing. The flesh is a trifle too firm for a per- 

 fect family berry. This variety should not 

 be used the day it is picked. If placed in a 

 room of moderate temperature for twenty- 

 four hours its flavor becomes properly 

 developed and its quality greatly improved. 

 The Rough Rider is a vigorous late sort of 

 real excellence. The berries are a bright 

 glossy red, of good form and good quality. 

 Few of the late varieties have given us more 

 satisfaction than Midnight. It is extra late, 

 extra handsome and extra good. At our 

 family table it is asked for in preference to 

 most others. All the varieties here mentioned 

 have perfect flowers, and therefore are self 

 fertilizing. 



We have here named as many varieties as 

 it is advisable for the private grower to con- 

 sider. All may not do equally well in all 

 situations, but they will be found generally 

 reliable, and afford opportunity for a proper 

 selection of varieties of highest quality. 



HOW TO GROW THEM 



While some varieties do best on a sandy 

 soil, and others on clay, nearly all of them 

 will succeed upon an ordinary loam, whether 

 light or heavy. Where various soils are at 

 command it is well to plant the different 

 varieties where they will do the best ; and as 

 a rule the early varieties will be most satis- 

 factory on sandy soil. 



The soil should be rich and the cultivation 

 deep and thorough. The question of manure 

 depends entirely upon the richness of the soil. 

 Where the soil is poor well-rotted manure 

 should be used in sufficient quantities to 

 supply an abundance of plant food. Where 

 artificial manures are used it is well to remem- 

 ber that for the weaker-growing varieties 

 nitrogen should be given, say, in the form of 

 nitrate of soda. But this should not be used 

 for the strong-growing sorts. Potash height- 

 ens the color of the fruit, and generally adds 

 to its flavor. Wood ashes is the best means 

 of supplying potash. A light dressing of 

 Peruvian guano is a good general-purpose 

 fertilizer. 



For a complete fertilizer for strawberries 



