JUNE 30 
THE RURAL 
-YORKER. 
443 
horticultural. 
SUCCESS IN STRAWBERRY CUL¬ 
TURE-1ST, STIMULATION— 
2ND, RESTRICTION. 
E. P. ROE. 
By this time our strawberry beds have been 
very generally set out. What method of 
culture will give us the largest returns for the 
least outlay of time and money? The system 
advocated in the following brief paper will 
not apply to all soils and climates, and it rare¬ 
ly happens that one method of cultivation 
will answ-er under all circumstances or with 
all varieties. In my concluding remarks I 
will give a few instances wherein modifica¬ 
tions may be advantageous. 
I will first treat of stimulation. It is my 
opinion that people usually plant double the 
area that they ought. In other words, if the 
fertilizers and labor were employed on half 
the land the net profit would be larger. A 
friend of mine once made a very large ship¬ 
ment of ordinary and inferior berries which, 
after the expenses of picking, freight and 
commissions were deducted, brought him a 
little in debt. One crate of large, fine berries 
would have paid him better. Therefore, I 
urge, do not set out more land than can be 
thoroughly enriched and prepared. It is 
scarcely possible to make land too rich for 
•trnwherries; it is not possible with any tools 
hat w’G have in use to loosen and pulverize 
the ground too deeply. Strawberry roots will 
go down two feet after plant food. One of 
the most frequent causes of short crops, of 
the berries runniug small after the first pick¬ 
ing, and of their drying up on the vines, is a 
hard and therefore droughty soil. This un¬ 
fortunate condition results almost inevitably 
from shallow plowing. Stimulation consists 
not only in a large dressing of ruauure, but, 
even more, in the deepcuing ami extending of 
the root range. Scarcely a plant, that is not 
distinctly aquatic requires so much moisture, 
especially when the fruit is setting and ma¬ 
turing, as the strawberry. The marvelous 
crops and long-continued season of bearing 
secured by irrigation are proofsof this. A mo¬ 
mentary consideration of what the plant, 
indeed all plants, are made of, how they grow', 
will make it clear that moisture is absolutely 
essential. 
The vegetable tissues, that is, the walls of 
the cells by which all plauts are built up, are 
composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxvgen. 
The carbon is obtained chictly through the 
foliage from the atmosphere in the form of 
carbonic acid gas. The roots also probably 
absorb a little of this gas in the same manner 
^as does the foliage, and the rootlets certainly 
imbibe much of it dissolved iu water. This 
carbonic acid gas is composed of one part of 
carbon (charcoal) and two parts of oxygen, 
and by a w onderful process of nature a living 
plant, in its green parts, chicily in its foliage, 
is enabled by sunlight to decompose this gas, 
throwing oif the oxygen and retaining the car¬ 
bon. How large a constituent the latter is 
any charcoal-burner can tell 11 s, and as we 
have seen that although the air furnishes the 
chief supply, not a little comes to the plant 
dissolved iu water. A fter allowing for the car¬ 
bon in the vegetable tissue of a plant nearly 
two-thirds of its material is still to be ac¬ 
counted l<>r, Where does it come from? From 
water alone. As we have said, in ndditiou to 
carbon all cellular tissue is composed of hy¬ 
drogen and oxygen, and in exactly the same 
proportions that they exist in water. There 
fore, water substantially constitutes tho bulk of 
the plant. I have seen a careful analysis 
which stated that stra " berry plants contained 
l’>2.8 per cent, and the fruit 90 per cent, of 
water. A strawberry plant cannot keep its 
supply after drawing it from the soil, but is, 
as we all know, exhaling it rapidly through its 
stomata or breathing pores, of which -there 
are myriads on every leaf. 
Having seen how essential water is to the 
cellular tissue of the plant, we next consider 
what the cells contain, and so come to another 
essential element, nitrogen, which is brought 
to the plant chiefly by ammonia—three parts 
hydrogen and 14 parts nitrogen. The plant 
must have nitrogen in suffleent quantities or 
thcre can be no vigorous growth or maturity. 
All decomposing vegetable and animal sub¬ 
stances produce ammonia, and therefore tho 
great value of barnyard manure and of green 
crops turned under at the proper stage of their 
grow th, that is, before they have taken as 
much nitrogen from the soil by the formation 
of seed as they ean give back in their decay, 
But how is the plant to obtain its ammonia 
and also its other organic or earthy consti¬ 
tuents, as potash, lime, silica, etc, which are 
contained within the cells and arc essential to 
the formation of the fruit# Only as these 
elements are dissolved iu water and are ab¬ 
sorbed by the rootlets. How,, then, A can a 
strawberry plant develop and mature a large 
crop of berries on a thin, hard, dry soil? 
The reader can now' understand the words 
of Hon. Marshall P. "Wilder when asked what 
w as the chief requirement of successful straw¬ 
berry culture: “Iu the first place the straw¬ 
berry's chief need is a great deal of water. In 
the second place it needs more water. In the 
third place I think I would give it a great deal 
more water.” How can it. be otherwise when 
the great huIk of the plant and fruit is com¬ 
posed of water, aud from the large extent of 
foliage and the peculiar formation of the leaf, 
exhalation must be very rapid? Water is lit¬ 
erally pouring through the plant, in at the 
rootlets, up through the cellular tissue and out 
through the breathing pores in a fine, invisible 
vapor. Next to irrigation, which is often im¬ 
possible and in most instances expensive, fer¬ 
tility and deep culture are the best means of 
keeping land moist; and I also believe that the 
time will come even here at the East when the 
largest success will he secured by irrigation. 
The above views do not in the slightest de¬ 
gree militate agains drainage when it is neces¬ 
sary. Sour, stagnant water, even though it 
stands below the surface, is as fatal to straw¬ 
berries as to other fruits. There is as much 
difference between wet, soggy land and moist 
land as betweeu sour, heavy bread and the 
light, fresh loaf. By stimulation, therefore. 
I mean an abundance of the materials which 
the strawberry plant needs to develop its ow n 
peculiar life and vigor, and a condition of soil 
which will enable it to avail itself of these ma¬ 
terials. These elements are an abundance of 
moisture, of ammonia-producing or nitrogen¬ 
ous manures, wood ashes or potash and well- 
slaked, finely-pulverized lime in moderate 
quantities on low lands abounding in organic 
matter, leaf mold, indeed any good, strong 
fertilizer that can be obtained. The essential 
mechanical condition of the soil is that it 
should be deep and mellow. 
Barnyard and stable manures cause the 
plants to run too much to vine, is an objection 
made by some against their use. “Too much 
nitrogen is given.” This is scarcely possible 
under a proper system of restriction , and it is 
a proper method of restriction that, next to 
moisture, is certain to give the largest returns 
I think that the experience of every reader will 
enable me to demonstrate this beyond a doubt. 
A strawberry plant has been set. out under the 
conditions t hat have been described. The first 
effort a plant makes is to propagate itself, and 
it will throw out runners when it is too young 
and immature to produce fruit. This fact can 
often be observed on the edge of a bed where 
the last runners took root the previous Fall. 
Of course, hardness and poverty of soil tend 
to immediate fruitfulness, just as stunted apple 
trees will blossom and bear profusely: but 
what are tho apples worth? A strawberry 
plant with a rich, moist soil back of it does tend 
“to run to vine”—that is the first law of its 
being on all soils. But suppose you restrict it 
—cut the runners off—what must follow? It 
can't stop growing: indeed this restriction 
seems to double its vigor. That it can expend 
its vigor in useless leaves is impossible, for the 
foliage is the plant's digesting organ, and the 
more it digests the more vigor and power it 
acquires. Since it can’t run, it must do some¬ 
thing with all of its accumulating force, aud 
what can it do but develop fruit bvds iu the 
arge. bushy stool which is rapidly form 
under this system of restriction which only 
curtails the growth of an indefinite number 
of small plants? In other words, all the en¬ 
ergy and vitality which would go to produce 
these are thrown into fruit. Fruit is the 
only outlet, aud the rich, moist, mellow 
soil dean&uds a large outlet; therefore you see 
cure large, elegant berries, oue crate of w hich 
is often more profitable than a dozen of in¬ 
ferior, dried-up specimens. 
Consider the further advantages: Say that 
you set your plants for field culture iu rows 
three feet apart and the plants one foot apart 
iu the row, and permit no runners. One small 
boy with a sharp knife can keep acres free 
from these throughout the running season. It 
does not begin to cause the labor and back- 
aching work of weeding. Tho rest of the 
labor can bo almost wholly performed by the 
horse cultivator and the hoe. The ground 
can lx* kept clean, mellow, and therefore moist. 
The narrow continuous line of plants can 
easily be mulched as they 1 egin to blossom 
aud the fruit, thus preserved from grit aud 
saud; the plants can more readily be given, 
their w inter covering, aud will require but 
half the material that must to used to protect 
wide, matted rows. Under this system the 
berries all average large and do not taper off 
to the size of peas after a few hot, dry days* 
The same plants of many varieties can be kept 
in bearing without renewal from four 
to six years, aud few realize the enor¬ 
mous size which these restricted plauts will 
attain under geuerous treatment. I have 
had Bidw'ell plants which, when but two years 
old, eoidd uot be covered by a half-bushe 1 
measure. No ground is lost, I assure you, for 
the plants, although the rows are three feet 
apart, will soon touch each other. 
There are some varieties that are peculiarly 
adapted to this system of restriction, and 
prominent among them is the Bidwell. The 
Sharpless, Dow'ning, Cumberland Triumph, 
Seneca Queen and Duchess all respond mag¬ 
nificently te> it. I have so developed the Cham¬ 
pion (Windsor Chief) by simply clipping its 
runners that neither the plant nor fruit was 
recognized. Under this treatment those fine 
old foreign varieties, the Jucunda and 
Triomphe de Gaud, are superb, and the Seth 
Boyden, that is a shy bearer in thin poor soils 
in matted rows, produces berries that will en¬ 
dure long carriage and bring 30 and 40 cents 
per quart in the New York market. 
And here let roe remark that there is a 
tendency to give up these fine old varieties 
because they cannot be grown to advantage 
on the light, sandy soils of many of the South¬ 
ern nurseries. The same fact is true of rasp¬ 
berries. Because the Jucunda and Triomphe 
Strawberries and the unrivaled foreign rasp¬ 
berries cannot be grown in some parts of New 
Jersey is no reason why we at the North and 
East, who have heavier soils, should discard 
them. Under the system that I have described 
the very best strawberries can be raised at the 
North, and not merely those that will grow 
in Southern sand, and all varieties are im¬ 
proved almost beyond recognition. If I had 
to deal with a light soil under a southern sun 
I would modify the system as follows: I would 
furrow my land with a corn plow, half fill the 
furrow with well-rotted compost, run the 
plow lightly through this again to mix the 
fertilizer with the soil, then level and set my 
plants right over the manure, permitting 
them to form a bushy, continuous line, but 
nothing more. I am satisfied that I would get 
more profit from one acre thus treated than 
from a dozen of the meager, yellow, stunted 
beds that I have seen. I know that some va¬ 
rieties are not adapted to this system, and I 
fear that the Manchester is one of them, for 
while it promises well with me, it has exhibit¬ 
ed one marked peculiarity—the original plants 
seem almost to die out in one year. There 
seems to be scarcely anything left of those I 
set out last Spring. They made vigorous run¬ 
nel's which are now well loaded with blossoms, 
but the plants from which they sprang have 
almost disappeared. Bidwell and Sharpless 
plants, on the contrary, which for three or 
four years have been allowed to throw out all 
the runnere they would, are again green and 
vigorous this Spring. I am inclined to think 
that the Manchester will require resetting 
every year. I am trying the experiment of 
permitting no runners on some of them this 
year, but doubt whether its short-lived ten¬ 
dency can be eradicated. It may prove so 
good as to well repay frequent renewals. I do 
uot think the Jersey Queen will ever be found 
productive except under the system I have 
described. I have a bed of G4 varieties grow¬ 
ing side by side on the same Kind of soil and 
under precisely the same conditions, on which 
I shall permit no runners. The new and 
vaunted kinds will here have to show what 
they can do alongside of the old standards, 
aud I doubt if many of them can stand the 
test. The best soil for strawberries is a rich, 
moist, well-drained loam, and a heavy clay 
is better than sand or gravel. 
Coni wall-on Hudson. 
Various. 
WEST PLAINS, MISSOURI. 
A Few Interesting Points From an Old 
But Recently Opened Country. The 
Advantages ok Southern Mis¬ 
souri. of Howell County, 
and its County Seat, 
MESSRS. HOLMES AND SWEETLAND. 
The southern portion of the great Common¬ 
wealth of Missouri, although it has been more 
or less settled for a number of years, has 
been but little known. For the first time in 
its history, this locality has been penetrated 
by the “ iron giant,” aud now that great road 
known as the Kansas City, Ft. Scott and Gulf, 
is ready to briug to the region additional 
workers, and to convey to market t ho products 
of their labor. Howell County is one of the 
southerly tier of the State, located about the 
center, and having an area of over 500,0(H) 
acres. Over this area 170,005 acres were as¬ 
sessed—110,000 acres of agricultural college and 
railroad land.aud 125,000 acres arestillopeu for 
government entry under the Homestead, Pre¬ 
emption aud Timber-culture Acts. The county 
is located among the foot-hills of the Ozark 
Range; is rolling, and slopes gently to the 
south. It presents much diversity of surface, 
although, it is claimed, there is a very small 
quantity of waste land. If is penetrated by 
the forks of Spring River, Paint River, severa 1 
creeks, and is further watered by a number of 
pure and constant springs. In some places 
there is a scarcity of water, during the Sum¬ 
mer, and some of the springs disappear, to 
seek an outlet in the Mammoth Spring just 
to the south in Arkansas. The soil is appar¬ 
ently inexhaustible, being of a dark red loam, 
very rich and productive. In many places it 
is covered with loose rocks, but in a few local¬ 
ities, in the county, we found it underlaid with 
solid rock. At some bluffy points there are 
rock croppings, covered with a light Black 
Jack soil of very little use. There is a very 
superior quality of brick clay, found in abun¬ 
dance. The natural grasses'only grow in the 
valleys, but the cultivated grasses luxuriate 
and thrive in all parts. Wheat, corn, cotton, 
tobacco, and oats constitute the principal 
products. As a whole, Howell County is abun¬ 
dantly supplied with timber, and no county' in 
the State has more extensive pine forests. The 
quality is a fine yellow pine, of good propor¬ 
tions for lumber. There are many saw-mills 
scattered throughout the pine region. The other 
varieties of wood are: White, Red, Post, and 
Jack Oak, Hickory, Black Walnut, Elder, Red 
Elm, Dogwood, etc. Stock does unusually 
well on account of the abundance of natural 
pasturage and mild Winters: cattle and hogs 
are raised largely—principally hogs. 
There are mineral deposits of iron and lead, 
of which fine specimens have been obtained 
but as yet no mines are being worked. The 
climate is simply magnificent.; the Winters are 
usually short, and very mild, and at the time 
of our visit (March 3rd) Spring plowing had 
already begun. One of the greatest sources of 
wealth which Howell County can boast of. is 
the unequaled fruit—peaches, apples, apri¬ 
cots, figs, and every variety of small fruit. It 
is, in fact, one of the finest counties for fruit 
raising in the United States. One horticul¬ 
turist has originated 14 different varieties of 
peaches, which ripen from June 4th to Nov. 
15th. He has an orchard of about 1,000 trees, 
and expects to set out from two to three 
thousands more. The Crawford does remark¬ 
ably well, while the General Custer, and 
Clingstone average eight to ten ounces each. 
Apples are principally of the Winesap. 
Rawle's Genet, Ben Davis, White Winter Pearl 
main, and Vandeveer varieties, although every 
variety which has been tried, has been suc¬ 
cessfully cultivated. Vineyards do exceed¬ 
ingly well, the grapes making the finest, 
heavy-bodied wine. A gentleman resident, 
from Hungary, one of the greatest wine-grow¬ 
ing districts of the world, infonned us that he 
considered the wine produced from grapes 
raised in Howell County, heavier in body and 
fully equal in quality to any of Hungarian 
manufacture that it had ever been his good 
fortune to sample. The side hills afford a fine 
opportunity for the establishment of large 
vineyards. 
There is but a small county indebtedness in 
Howell County, and consequently low taxa¬ 
tion. One-fifth of the county is still open to 
Government eutry, and there are many choice 
tracts yet to be obtained, iu the valleys, and 
much fine land upon the hills, for grazing, or 
horticultural purposes. Wild lands are selling 
at from two to ten dollars, and improved 
farms, from $5.00 to $25.00, according to loca¬ 
tion and improvements. 
WEST PLAINS, 
the county seat, has a population of about 
1,500, and is rapidly increasing in importance 
and wealth. It is located on the Springfield 
and Memphis Railroad, an extension of the 
Kansas City, Fort Scott aud Gulf, and it is ex¬ 
pected that a branch of the St. Louis and San 
Francisco will be built to this point ere long. 
There is no question that this city is destined 
to be the most important, as well as the 
largest, in Southern Missouri. The West 
Plains Seminar)', graded iu four departments, 
affords meaus for the education of the youth 
while the schools are well organized through¬ 
out the county. There are two church 
edifices, and four organizations, with another 
church to Vie built this Summer. There are 
societies of A F. aud A. M., I. O. O. F.. A. O. 
U. W. and I. O. G. T., all having good mem¬ 
bership. The West Plaius Journal is an un¬ 
usually excellent newspaper, being printed en¬ 
tirely at home. It is aolv supplemented in its 
good work by the West Plains Gazette, and the 
advertising patronage of these two papers be^ 
speaks the activity of the residents. Business 
lots vary iu price from $160 to $500; residence 
lots, from $50 to #150. The size of the lots 
'ary. A new hotel will be built this 
Spring or Summer, and bonds to the 
amount of $15,000 have been voted for a new 
court house. The number of new stores 
(several of brick) and dwelling-houses now 
being erected, gives an index of the pmsperitv 
snd rapid development of this little city. 
Merchandise sales for the last year were over 
#450,000. Thirty mails are received weekly at 
the post-ottiee, and the inonev orders sold 
amount to *2.721 a week, or about #141.000 per 
year. There is a good steam mill having a 86 
horse-power engine aud three runs of stone, 
doing a merchant aud exchange business. 
The needs of the city are a bank, hotel, mer¬ 
chant tailor, machinist, etc., aud any addition 
to the population, of men of activity, or en¬ 
terprise, w ill be gladly welcomed and receive 
cordial co-operation and encouragement. 
