SPECIAL OFFERS 
SPECIAL OFFER No. I. Strawberries. — Six (Vlinute NIan, 6 Uncle Sam, 6 Palmer, 
6 Neltie, 6 Hero, 6 Miller; by mail, $1.00; twelve each for $2.00. 
SPECIAL OFFER No. 2. Raspberries — Twenty-five Brandywine, 25 Cuthbcrt, 25 
Loudon, 25 Thomson's Prolific; by express, $1.25. 
SPECIAL OFFER No. 3 —Twenty-five Columbian, 25 Palmer, 25 Hilborn, 25 Kan- 
sas; by express, $1.25. 
JTKAWBER.ILY TALK. 
The average selling price of strawberries for igoi showed an advance from lo to 
20 per cent all over the country. New plantings were not in proportion to the mar- 
ket demands for fruit, and the prices for fruit are sure to be still higher this coming 
season. Low-priced strawberries, durin.g the years from 1895 to 1898, set everjmne 
to eating them, and now, with more money and greater general prosperity, the peo- 
ple will keep right on eating, even at mucli higher prices than before. Aside from 
the strawberry specialists, who are sure now to enlarge their plantings, many a 
small farmer can easily add f^oo to I500 to his income by a little planting of .straw- 
berries— about the quickest of all catch-crops to bring in the cash. Ix>w prices five 
years ago sent many out of the business; now there is lots of room and profit for new 
plantations. 
Early spring is the best time to plant Strawberries in all northern latitudes. 
Almost aii5' variety of .soil will produce luscious strawberries in profusion if thor- 
oughly pulverized and well enriche<l before planting. Distance to plant is largely a 
local question, to be settled according to size and shape of plot, quantity and variety 
planted, or tnethod of culture to be followed; but, generally, if the plants are .set in 
rows 3 to 4 feet apart, and 15 to 18 inches apart in the row, a horse and cultivator can 
do most of the work of tillage best and cheapest. 
For largest and finest berries let only a few runners root from the original 
plants, so as to get a narrow matted row, with plants set at lea.st 8 inches apart, and 
then keep all other runners from rooting. Wider matted rows will give more fruit, 
not quite .so large or bright colored. 
The more thorough and frequent the cultivation, the better the fruit returns. A 
liberal mulching after the ground is frozen in the fall furnishes winter protection; 
yet, better than all, it helps to keep the groutid loose and moist through the fruiting 
season that follows. Strawberries require a great amount of moisture to c omc to 
highest perfection, ami irrigation pays. 
REDER WOOD iTR A VV BE:RRT. T 'his is the most productive of 
the very earlv varieties, and. in fact, is not excelled by any kind for its large yield 
of fruit. It ripens about three days behind Mitchell’s Rarly, and a full week ahead 
of the Crescent; gives heavy pickings from the start and holds out to the rush of 
mid-.sca.son. Recommended by M. Crawford as the best early variety. Pc’i' /oo, 
jOC; /,ooo, 
