February, 1919 
WISCONSIN HORTICULTURE 
79 
A LARGE STOCK OF 
Apple, Cherry and Plum Trees, Grape Vines, 
Blackberry, Raspberry and 
Strawberry Plants 
Both Everbearing- and common varieties. 
And a general line of ORNAMENTAL TREES, SHRUBS and ROSES. 
All stock clean and thrifty, the best that can he grown in Wisconsin. 
GREAT NORTHERN NURSERY CO. 
Write for catalog and prices Baraboo, Wis. 
^ 
HARDY OLD FASHIONED PLANTS 
OUR SPECIALTY 
The best varieties for Wisconsin conditions, carefully grown and 
carefully packed. Write for prices 
WILLIAM TOOLE & SON 
Hardy Plant and Pansy Farm Baraboo, Wis 
V 
The Kickapoo Valley U ' S |:in Sl msnu'(' I r l ' :n 
Our Specialty: Planting and Developing orchards for non-residents 
A few choice tracts for sale. If interested, write us. 
KICKAPOO DEVELOPMENT COMPANY 
GAYS MILLS, WISCONSIN 
necessary to such crops as straw- 
berries, tomatoes, potatoes, corn, 
etc. 
In regard to specializing on cer- 
tain crops I have found, through 
observation, that those who are 
doing this are, as a rule, getting 
ahead. It seems that more expert 
efforts are likely to be exercised 
on a specialized crop than can be 
handed to a haphazard garden. 
It is much like a department store 
compared with a straight one- 
lined place of business. The man 
running a department store must 
be a wizard to hold up the many 
lines to the standard of a one- 
lined store. Generally men are 
not wizards. 
The question of selecting lines 
on which to specialize depends on 
the soil, climate, market and the 
available labor supply. Owing to 
the perversity of our growing 
season, no man can figure on a 
sure thing. However, there ai-e 
at least two kinds of summers to 
bank on — the hot and dry and the 
cool and wet seasons. Figuring 
on either a hot, dry or a cool sea- 
son, some of our best growers try 
to play a sure game and bet both 
ways. In other words, they spe- 
cialize on two kinds of crops, one 
requiring cool weather and the 
other requiring a hot summer. In 
doing this one crop ought to be a 
winner, while the other may not 
lose out altogether. 
To illustrate the crops I mean 
that require a cool season I will 
name some of them — cauliflower, 
celery, cabbage, peas, root crops 
and grains, cucumbers and pota- 
toes. On the other hand, toma- 
toes, onions, melons, corn, beans, 
peppers and egg plant thrive in 
hot weather. Too little moisture 
sometimes shortens the crop, but 
it seldom happens in Wisconsin 
that total failure comes through 
drought. But we are likely to 
have periods of excessive wet, 
when, if it were not for drainage, 
a total loss may ensue. Conse- 
quently the problem of drainage 
enters into the question of how 
much to plant. I believe it is un- 
safe to put much into intensive 
cultivation unless the soil is tiled. 
In regard to the cultivation of 
fruit I would confine the growing 
of fruit to small fruit. For all 
kinds of soils strawberries and red 
raspberries are usually the safest 
crops. Currants and gooseberries 
come in all right unless local home 
gardens have created an over- 
production. Black caps and 
blackberries are partial to light 
soils and are more or less unreli- 
able. As to fruit trees, I believe a 
ten-acre farm is too small to at- 
tempt much in that line and would 
advise planting for home use only. 
Some of our truck gardeners 
are specializing in onions and cab- 
bage, others in tomatoes and cu- 
cumbers, or muskmelons and 
cauliflower. Usually an acre of 
strawberries is added. They sel- 
dom confine themselves to certain 
