May, 1889. 
105 
Maj Talk. 
At the north, plantings may yet be made 
during the early part of the month, but ex- 
tra care should be exercised in order to 
guard against the dangers that arise from 
late planting. In all cases be particular to 
press the soil down firmly around the plant 
after planting, treading it down with the 
foot so firmly that the plant cannot easily 
be pulled up. Drying out at the roots is the 
great source of failure in late spring plant- 
ing and is caused entirely by carelessness in 
setting the plants. If strawberry plants 
have much foliage it will help them if some 
of the leaves are removed before planting; 
perhaps this cannot be readily done when 
large plantings are to be made but it will 
pay to do it, and in the home garden and in 
setting expensive varieties should not be 
neglected. The cutting back of the roots 
of strawberries before planting in spring is 
to be commended; it induces a growth of 
fibrous roots and starts the plant with re- 
newed vigor; about one-third should be tak- 
en off. 
As soon as the young plantings begin to 
blossom they should be gone over and the 
blossoms removed. It takes but little time 
to do it and their removal prevents a great 
waste of strength which is thus turned back 
into the plants. It is unreasonable to ex- 
pect fruit from plants before they have be- 
come established in the soil and the effort to 
put forth blossom and bear fruit is always 
accompanied by after loss of strength 
and vigor. 
Late planting of raspberries and blackber- 
ries is attended with more difficulty than 
that of strawberries, by reason of the long 
sprouts which start early. The plants re- 
quire handling with great care to preserve 
these sprouts unbroken, for though other 
sprouts may start later the best results are 
always from plants not so injured. Cut the 
canes well back to the ground and should 
the weather be hot and dry, water and 
mulch. It is not advisable to plant currants 
largely late in the season unless special 
care can be given to the operation. We have 
successfully set currants when in full leaf, 
by filling the holes with water and cutting 
back the bushes fully one-half. 
After newly set plants start to grow they 
should be gone over and hoed around light- 
ly to break the crust and loosen the soil. A 
handful of quick-acting fertilizer strewn 
around the plant and lightly hoed in will be 
beneficial at this time. Weeds will begin 
to show now and should be kept down by 
running through the rows with a cultiva- 
tor once a week. 
Strawberry beds coming into bearing 
should be mulched now for the double pur- 
pose of holding moisture in the soil and 
keeping the fruit clean. It is presumed 
that they have received a top dressing 
of fertilizer early in the spring, potash pre- 
ferred. After coming into blossom repeated 
applications of weak liquid manure, made by 
stirring into a barrel of water two or three 
shovelfuls of cow manure, will be of great 
service. Watering the soil during this per- 
iod will largely aid in the size of the berries 
and yield, but it should be borne in mind 
that the soil must be well saturated, not 
merely sprinkled; better only one or two 
thorough soakings than daily waterings 
which do nothing more than encrust the 
surface. 
Late frosts often do much damage to 
small fruit plantations and the grower 
should be always on his guard against them. 
In the limited extent of the family garden, 
the berry patch may be protected by cover- 
ing the plants, during doubtful nights, with 
old sheets, or in fact anv material that will 
cover them. Large commercial plantations 
are more difficult to protect, especially on 
low lands. It is a wise and prudent meas- 
ure, and one that has often been employed 
with much success, to have at hand, through- 
out the field, piles of old rubbish, hay, etc., 
which on frosty nights may be dampened 
and set on fire, thus causing clouds of dense 
smoke to hang over the plants and which 
has been found a sure protection when made 
in sufficient quantity. 
It is not wise to delay providing a sufficien- 
Berry Packing Hodse. Fig. 1560} 4 . 
cy of crates and baskets to harvest the crop 
until really needed, but if not already done, 
they should be ordered at once. A number 
of extra slats or partitions should be provid- 
ed for the crates, as well as extra baskets, 
for it will be found that very many crates 
are returned with a shortage of both. Old 
and discolored'baskets should be condemned 
at once; it is a mistake to suppose that at- 
tractive packages do not help the sale of 
the fruit. Always stencil crates with name 
and address. 
A Berry Packing House. 
When there is much fruit to be picked 
and shipped, a fruit house should be built, 
in which to assort and pack, and where the 
berries are delivered by the pickers. It 
should occupy a central position and may 
be put up at a moderate cost. Such a build- 
ing as is represented here is not a costly one 
and can be readily put up by the fruit 
grower himself. It will be found very use- 
ful for other purposes after the season is 
over, such as storing crates, baskets, etc. 
Now is the time to build it, before the har- 
vest begins. 
We have made the sketch from a berry - 
house we saw near Cleveland, 0.,'last sum- 
mer and which was of immense service dur- 
ing the berry picking period. The flaps 
which form the tables on the sides, at which 
the berries are received, are hinged and 
close up the openings at night or during a 
shower. The picker are not permitted to 
enter the house but give up their berries 
and receive their tickets at the windows. 
This refuge from the glare of the sun, with 
the air passing freely through the house, 
enables the fruit to cool off before packing, 
and the packer having the fruit laid out be- 
fore him can pack as he may desire. A 
building of lesser pretensions will answer 
the purpose quite well and a shed may be 
found serviceable provided it be so arranged 
that the air can circulate freely through it. 
The fruitgrower will modify this idea in ac- 
cordance with bis needs but he cannot fail 
to appreciate the usefulness of such a build- 
ing on his farm. 
The Currant Worm. 
Already this pest will have appeared in 
some sections on the foliage of currant and 
gooseberry bushes and if not promptly met 
will speedily defoliate them completely. 
It is a well-known fact that white hellebore 
is sure death but many are afraid to use it; 
others apply in water so that it reaches only 
the upper surface of the leaves. The best 
way to apply it is in a dry state, mixed 
with some vehicle, and dusted upon the un- 
der side of the leaf. 
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