For the jSouthern States, 



95 



communities — tracts of land should be selected which are capable 

 of proper subdivision. On these tracts, divided into fields, pas- 

 ture and woodlands, situated not over two and a half miles from 

 a village or station, the grower of small fruits should make his 

 home. In such a location he will have the advantage, first, of 

 suitable labor to assist him in his work, next, he can control re- 

 frigerator cars and other improved means of transportation, be- 

 sides save money on car load rates, the purchase of crates and 

 baskets, and in addition to all this, he will be freed from the 

 isolation of rural life. A community of this kind will support 

 not only churches and schools for his children, but the Grange 

 and Horticultural Clubs, where views may be interchanged, and 

 all have opportunities of learning better methods of work, with 

 the additional advantages of social intercourse, therefore we 

 would advise horticulturists by all means to choose a home in a 

 fruit-growing community, even if he has to pay double or even 

 treble price for his land. 



TIME FOR PREPARATION. 



In the lower part of the Gulf States where the ground is never 

 frozen sufficiently to retard work, and where snow and ice are 

 almost unknown, the work of preparing the land is always in 

 order. 



But the real work commences in our climate at any time, from 

 April to June, and the earlier the better. The land should be 

 cleansed and fertilized, all noxious weeds and grasses should be 

 destroyed. 



We have a great deal of land in all portions of the State, and 

 especially in our alluvium overrun, with weeds and grass, which 

 should be got rid of as soon as possible ; in addition, there are very 

 few localities which will not be benefitted by fertilizers, to apply 

 these practically and economically must be our aim. The very 

 best mode of preparing the soil will be to sow a crop of peas for 

 the purpose, which shade the land and enrich it by affording a 

 most valuable green crop, to plow or spade under during the latter 

 part of August or September, this will leave the ground in fine 

 condition for setting out the plants, which should be done as ear- 

 ly as possible. Much, however, depends upon the fall rains, un- 

 less the planter is provided with proper facilities for irrigation. 



OTHER FERTILIZERS. 



Of course, the cow pea is by no means the only fertilizer 

 which may be used. Leaf mold from the woods, barn yard ma- 

 nure, superphosphate, well rotted cotton seed or cotton seed meal, 

 bone meal, land plaster, poultry guano and unleached ashes are 

 all excellent, the main point will be to apply it abundantly and at 

 the right time, for the strawberry is a gross feeder, remembering 

 always to give preference to home-made fertilizers, which in nine- 

 ty-nine cases in a hundred are better than commercial manures, 

 which cost in the aggregate a large sum, which may otherwise be 

 kept at home. 



