STRAWBERRY FARMING. 



481 



all. In setting, the roots should be spread out naturally, 

 the ground well pressed on them, then watered, and 

 shaded for a few days. When potted plants are used (I 

 don't use them), it is well to disturb the ball of earth so 

 that the roots will separate, or they will cling around 

 the ball, as that soil is usually very rich. — Samuel 

 Miller, Missouri. 



From "Up the River." — High prices obtained this 

 season convince us more fully than ever before, that 

 with good soil, the best early, intermediate and late var- 

 ieties in the matted row system of fruiting (which should 

 never be more than two feet wide), and thorough culti- 

 vation in spring, there is more profit in the straw- 

 berry than any fruit we can grow. Our early fruit sold 

 for 30 cents a quart for eight days, the price then falling 

 to 20 and 15 cents, while none sold for less than ten 

 cents ; our entire crops averaged 15 cents. The pros- 

 pects for profit in growing strawberries for market was 

 never more promising than now. There are many rea- 

 sons for this ; the demand for good fruit is increasing 

 largely each year. We believe that fully fift}' per cent, 

 more of this "king of the small fruits" was used fresh 

 on the table this year in New York state, than five years 

 ago. People who then scarcely "knew strawberries" 

 have them now at nearly every meal. A second reason 

 for the increased demand is cheap sugar, and many a 

 provident housekeeper now boasts double the usual 

 quantity of cans stored away for winter use. We have 

 furnished ten times as much for this purpose as in 

 other years. 



Warfield was the first by three days to ripen with us 

 this season, both in our trial bed and in the main planta- 

 tions, the fruit bringing 30 cents per quart. The plants 

 are feeble growers, but very productive. Fruit small 

 and firm, of good color and fair in flavor. 



Monmouth is early, a poor grower ; prolific of small, 

 sour, firm fruit. 



Jessie is large, handsome, sweet, firm, moderately 

 productive ; desirable in the private garden as an early 

 sweet berry. 



Cumberland Triumph ripened June i, and we picked 

 the last on June 30. It is a good fertilizer to Bubach 

 Haverland, etc., and very productive of large, fine, uni- 

 form berries. 



Haverland has come to stay, and is pronounced one 

 of the best. It is a rampant grower and was loaded 

 with fine fruit, ripening even all over, and running large 

 during its season of fifteen days. 



Bubach resembles Sharpless in size, shape and color. 

 Very productive. 



Crescent has had its day ; the fruit is small and poor 

 in color and flavor. The plants are frail growers but 

 productive. 



Wilson and Captain Jack ripened on June 2, and 

 were very productive of small sour, but very firm fruit. 



Charles Downing ripened June 8, and was up to its 

 usual standard. A good berry for home use. 



Miner's Prolific, June 8, did unusually well in this sec- 

 tion. It resembles Sharpless somewhat in shape, but it 



is of better flavor ; on rich land it can be relied on to 

 give good results; fruit large, of rich color and fine 

 flavor. 



Gold is a new late sort of good flavor, but unproduc- 

 tive. 



Sharpless, June 12, is the same large sweet firm berry 

 as of old, but not near so productive as other large 

 berries. 



Lennig's White or the Ladies' berry, June 8, is a beau- 

 tiful pink variety, small and sweet. Fairly productive. 

 For the private garden. 



Gandy is one of the three we are picking at tiiis writ- 

 ing, June 30. It did not ripen a berry before June 

 29. Large, firm, with fine colored fruit, its lateness and 

 fine flavor make it valuable to the private garden, 

 and as it always commands a high price, it is especially 

 desirable to the market gardener. 



Kirkwood is late, productive On a small bed, 125x8 

 feet, we gathered on June iS, 15 quarts, June 20, 43 

 quarts, June22, 71 quarts, June25, 40 quarts, June 29, 30 

 quarts, and I calculate on two more pickings of 20 quarts 

 each ; about 239 quarts in all, or at the rate of about 

 43,000 quarts per acre. 



Parker Earle was fairly well loaded with medium siz- 

 ed uniform fruit of splendid color and good flavor. 



Lovett's Early we are favorably impressed with as 

 a profitable early berry. It is more valuable than many 

 early kinds, for it has perfect flowers ; the fruit is larger, 

 of good color and flavor, and firm. A vigorous grower. 



E. P. Roe, new, distinct, not yet on the market, origi- 

 nated in the beautiful little garden of Wm. B. Brown at 

 Newburgh. We saw the plants late in May and were 

 impressed with the fine foliage and heavy bloom. On 

 June 8, we saw it again at Mr. Brown's place and at the 

 fruit farm of Nathaniel Barnes, of Middlehope, a large 

 and successful fruit grower. None of the fruits were 

 then ripe, but the vines were hea\ ily laden with green 

 berries and blossoms. The first ripe berries were pick- 

 ed on June 19, and sold in Newburgh and pronounced 

 by all who bought them, to be the finest late berry they 

 had ever seen. I saw the fruit again on June 22 and 29. 

 I am satisfied it will take a place as yet unfilled by any 

 strawberry in cultivation. At this writing, June 30, it is 

 at its best ; perfect flowering, averages one-third larger 

 than Downing, and is like Downing in shape but with 

 a short neck like Seth Boyden. — T. J. Dwyer, Oraiife 

 Co., v. 



The Outlook in the West. — This has been a most 

 unfavorable season for strawberries in Kansas. I began 

 picking May 20, and finished shipping June 25. It rain- 

 ed daily, except five days, during our long berry season ; 

 hence the fruit was mostly picked when too wet, and 

 unfit for shipping to our best markets in Colorado and 

 New Mexico. Owing to the large product and the rainy 

 season, berries sold for less than cost. In my fields at 

 least 1,000 crates (24,000 quarts) were left on the vines 

 for birds and bees. The large crop was due to the 

 rains, and the large acreage planted the past three 

 years. Owing to the low prices of grain and stock pro- 



