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110 



Richard Fbotscher's Almanac and Garden Manual 



wards harrow the surface well with a revolving harrow and smooth with 

 a board. 



Ditching. — In all low lying lands ditches should be opened and the 

 field laid off in lands of equal size, this will systematise your operations 

 and warm the soil. All low lands will be too cold unless well drained ; 

 and the Strawberry, though a lover of water, will not do well in cold, 

 wet soils. 



Field planting. — Your ground being ready, plants dug, put in a con- 

 venient place and protected from the dry atmosphere, prepare a bath of 

 mud and water and squirt the roots thoroughly to prevent drying. Clip 

 off the long roots with a sharp knife or pair of shears, and drop about one 

 foot apart in rows three feet wide, this may be done hy children, experi- 

 enced and careful persons may follow as quickly as possible, opening 

 the ground with a stout paddle or steel hand planter, about three inches 

 in width spreading the roots as much as possible and pressing the earth 

 firmly about the plant, care should be taken to have the crown entirely 

 above the surface. Always use a line and keep on the same side, that 

 the row may be straight, a crooked row always interferes with careful 

 cultivation. Garden culture is similar in every respect, only they may 

 be planted much closer and on beds 4 feet in width, a space being left 

 for walks on each side about two feet in width, this will prevent much 

 trampling of the soil and give room for the pickers. 



Varieties.— There are two hundred approved kinds, more or less, 

 nearly all have their champions. But all practical fruit growers have 

 about come to the conclusion, that if all were destroyed, except the old 

 fashioned Wilson's Albany, no one would be the loser. We do not 

 concur in so sweeping a verdict on all new kinds, but for Louisiana a 

 person will not go far out of the way if he adopt the Wilson until he is 

 satisfied that he has something better. 



Longicoi^th's Prolific. It seems like going back a half a century to 

 recommend the Longworth, but we consider it among the most valuable 

 as a profitable kind for market, hardy, prolific, but not first class for 

 eating— too sour. 



Imperial. — Were we called on to decide upon the best berry for the 

 table and especially valuable as a family fruit we would choose this 

 variety above all. It is too soft for market however, unless it can be 

 carried by hand ; not very prolific, unless cultured in stools ; stands our 

 climate well and runs tremendously. A friend obtained over three 

 hundred plants from two the first season. 



Mary Stuart— A. pistillate variety originating in Louisiana ; must be 

 planted near some staminate plant to produce fruit, Berry of excellent 

 quality and flavor in a dry season, plant hardy, prolific and healthy 

 like all high flavored kinds, too soft for a distant market. 



Charles Doicning—HsLS many friends, and deservedly so. Plant 

 hardy in Louisiana, lives well through our trying summer, produces a 

 very large fine flavored berry, on foot stalks well off the ground ; fruit 

 most too soft for long transit. 



Captain Jade— Also very promising, lived well through the summer 

 of 1879, and we believe it has a future. Hardy and vigorous, berries 

 medium and about the same quality as the Wilson Albany. 



