pRon THE New York Farher. 
We recently made a business call on C. W. Graham of Afton, a grower of 
small fruits, plants and vines. He reports a fin e spring trade in plants and 
vines, orders coming from as far west as Idaho. Mr. Graham’s reputation 
locally is first rate, and as his plantation is in first-class condition, his custom- 
ers may rest assured of first-class goods at reasonable rates. 
Riverside ^ Afton Fruit Farms 
Mr. C. W. Graham, the proprietor of the above named establishments and 
the leading fi'uit and plant gi’ower in the Susquehanna valley, has increased 
largely both the size of his plantations and the number of varieties under culti- 
vation. His plant trade has largely increased during the past year. With a 
view to prepai'ing for this increased demand, he has added to his stock in var- 
ious lines until he now has in all over sixty varieties, including strawberries, 
raspberries and blackberries. 
About three acres of new beds planted the xiresent season in strawberries 
are, I believe, the finest I have ever seen at this season of the year, and with 
the old beds of about two acres, givp good promise of an immense fruit yield 
the coming year. He also increased his raspberry plantations until he has 
about an acre more in condition for fruiting another year than the past season 
in red'. and black sorts. He finds the Louden next to Cuthbert in profit on his 
grounds. 
From about one acre of blackberries he marketed this season 109 bushels 
of beautiful fruit, netting a fine i)rofit. He finds the Snyder and Western Tri- 
umph most profitable as market sorts, but considers Agawam and Sanford, the 
latter a new wild sort introduced by himself, as superior for table and family 
use. E. J. B. 
Strawberry Plants for the Trade. 
My stock of plants for 1899 is grown fi'om now beds on soil that has been 
heavily fertilized and never cropped to berries before. I have not spared time 
or money to grow the finest plants possible. I prepared the ground for plant- 
ing in the following manner: In the Fall of ’97 the land was jtlowed to the 
depth of nine inches. From 40 to 50 loads of good stable manure was applied 
during the wintei'. In the Spring the lot was ci'oss-plowed and the soil thor- 
oughly harrowed and pulverized five inches deep. The best plants obtainable 
were set in April with the Perfection plant setter. The blossoms were picked 
and all runners cut of! up to July loth. After that the first runners were 
layered each side of the parent plant. The soil was kept stiri-ed in the row 
and the cultivator used once each week during the entire season. Sixty bushels 
of hard wood ashes were applied direct to the rows in small quantities during 
the entire summer. In November the plants were given a dressing of good 
horse litter. 1 use the metal truck, steel, low wheels with stagger spokes, 
with four-inch tires on my wagon foi' spreading the mulch on the plants. 
The plants I offer for sale are well grown, and will be packed in the best 
possible manner. Almost without exception they arc taken up the day the 
order is filled. I aim to have no plants left in the cellar over night. I am 
confident that my plants will reach their destination in good order and warrant 
the safe arrival of all orders sent out up to May 1st. Please do not send to me 
for cheap plants, I do not grow them. I find fi'om experience those bought for 
$1.00 to $2.00 per 1.000, even with the best of culture, will make a poor stand 
of plants and hardly pi'oduce fruit enough to pay for cultivation. Such jdants 
are dear at any pi’ice. I grow only the best, and the best is good enough for 
all. I want every customer to receive full value for every dollar sent in living 
plants; 26 foi’ 25 in every bunch. 
