496 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
July 19 
HILTON STRAWBERRIES. 
always sold at tip-top prices. 
How they are Grown. 
Perched at the very top of New York 
market quotations during the straw¬ 
berry season one always finds the “Hil¬ 
ton and Irvington” berries. They are 
handled exclusively by only two or 
three commission houses in the city, and 
readily sell for better prices than any 
other berries reaching market at the 
same time. If reasons are sought for 
this preference on the part of buyers the 
inquirer is told the berries may be de¬ 
pended on to be larger, cleaner, better- 
flavored and of more pleasing color than 
other regular consignments reaching the 
markets. The Hilton berries finally go 
to exclusive hotels, cafds and prosperous 
families willing to pay a good price for 
the highest procurable quality. The 
Hilton quotations have been so con¬ 
spicuous for many years that the daily 
and Sunday newspapers, always on the 
lookout for Summer sensations, have 
repeatedly sent out their new reporters 
to write up the matter. The callow 
youths, who probably could not distin¬ 
guish a strawberry plant from a squash 
vine, descended with kodak and note¬ 
book on the busy berry growers during 
the height of the rush season, and were 
accordingly put off or well “jollied” as 
the case might be, as no free advertising 
of this kind was wanted. With the usual 
ineptitude of their class the assigned 
space was filled, however, with over¬ 
wrought accounts of phenomenal profits 
made by the growers, and the unap¬ 
proachable perfection of the berries 
themselves. These startling “write-ups” 
in the metropolitan papers were widely 
copied throughout the country, as horti¬ 
cultural sensations, if sufficiently wild, 
are always considered desirable copy by 
the provincial press. The result has 
been to swamp Henry Jerolaman, the 
largest grower and shipper of Hilton 
berries, always referred to by the re¬ 
porters as “America’s Strawberry 
King,” with inquiries concerning straw¬ 
berry culture from all parts of the 
world. Letters arrive by the peach bas- 
keful; more than may possibly be read 
by any busy man, though an effort has 
been made to preserve most of the 
writers’ addresses, of which many thou- 
hands have been recorded. A constant 
stream of visitors at picking season 
each year also sadly interferes with the 
work. Mr. Jerolaman has so often been 
interviewed with disastrous results that 
he has naturally become shy of irrespon¬ 
sible journalists, but lately welcomed 
representatives of The R. N.-Y. to his 
fruit garden and exhibited his methods 
without reserve. He has been urged for 
years to publish the methods of pro¬ 
ducing the famous Hilton strawberries, 
and may do so in the future, but is glad 
to have the plain story, which, after all, 
is a short one, told without the usual 
misrepresentations. 
Hilton and Irvington are adjoining 
hamlets in Essex Co., N. J., within 20 
minutes trolley ride from Newark, and 
about two hours haul over excellent 
roads from the market section of Man¬ 
hattan. Strawberry culture began a 
generation ago, when Seth Boyden, 
whose old homestead adjoins Mr. Jerola- 
man’s property, devoted his energies to 
creating worthy native varieties of this 
most acceptable fruit, and has always 
continued with increasingly favorable 
results. The soil is generally a fertile, 
well-drained loam mixed with gravel 
and small stones. From 25 to 30 acres 
of berries are grown in the two villages, 
the product of which fixes the high mar¬ 
ket quotations above referred to. Mr. 
Jerolaman grows about five acres of 
strawberries, and his home grounds of 
eight acres form a fruit garden of be¬ 
wildering productiveness and perfection. 
Besides strawberries he grows apples, 
pears, plums, cherries, grapes, currants 
and gooseberries in immense quantities 
and of the highest quality on the same 
plot. With no inconsiderable experience 
The R. N.-Y. people were compelled to 
admit they never found such abundance 
of perfect fruit in such close limits. 
From the strawberries on the ground, 
the currants and grapes on bush and 
trellis, to the tree fruits on 30-year trees 
fruit may be said to grow three stories 
deep all about the place. All the dif¬ 
ferent varieties seemed worthy of a spe¬ 
cialist’s efforts, but we came to see the 
strawberries, and gave them particular 
attention. They are grown in narrow 
matted rows with the individual plants 
well spaced, between the grape trellises 
and smaller fruit trees, with occasional 
rows between the more widely spaced 
small fruits. Several large beds were 
in the open, but so situated that most 
of the plants received some shade during 
the day. We were informed that some 
of the plots had been continually 
cropped with strawberries for 18 to 20 
years, merely changing the location of 
the rows by rooting new layers when 
the old plants passed their prime. From 
the tall and luxuriant growth of the 
plants it was evident that they received 
generous fertilization, and we were as¬ 
sured stable manure only was used, and 
liberally applied every season. The ma¬ 
nure comes from nearby cities, as only 
one horse is kept on the place. The 
main feature of Mr. Jerolaman’s culture, 
aside from absolute freedom from weeds 
and strenuous fertilization is a very 
heavy mulch of salt hay forming a soft 
carpet, and so thickly placed as to en¬ 
tirely prevent sanding or soiling of the 
berries by even heaviest rains. We have 
never seen so dense a mulch used in 
fruit growing, but can well understand 
its utility in preserving soil moisture 
and keeping the fruit absolutely clean. 
Very few weeds can penetrate so thick 
a covering, and they are easily pulled. 
After one season’s use under strawber¬ 
ries this mulch is moved under the trees 
and small fruits, where it is also greatly 
needed, the currants and gooseberries 
being so heavily loaded as partly to lie 
on the ground. The remaining novel 
feature lies in the varieties grown. Mr. 
Joraloman contends that to make straw¬ 
berry culture profitable only varieties 
locally adapted should be used, and no 
dependance be placed on distant origina¬ 
tors and introducers. He has tried hun¬ 
dreds of new kinds as they came out, 
but the great money-maker of his place 
is Henry, a large, dark red, sweet-flavor¬ 
ed berry that originated with him about 
18 years ago. Henry runs Marshall very 
closely in quality and appearance of 
berry and plant. Here it is somewhat 
lighter in color and has a more agree¬ 
able appearance in the box than Mar¬ 
shall, but with the conditions of shade 
and mulch modified there would prob¬ 
ably be little difference. Mary is an¬ 
other profitable kind, lighter in color 
and more acid than Henry, but im¬ 
mensely productive and a splendid ship¬ 
per. Other well-known varieties, such 
as Sample and Wm. Belt, did not show 
up as well as the local kinds, relatively 
producing many more small berries. 
There were scores of seedlings under 
trial, some bearing berries of tremen¬ 
dous size, but none looked as if it would 
seriously rival Henry and Mary. When 
the bearing season is over all unproduc¬ 
tive clumps, which have been carefully 
marked while picking, are torn out and 
replaced with layers from good bearing 
plants, the mulch is removed, old and 
weak plants cut out, runners trained 
where needed and the surface kept clean 
and well stirred during the growing sea¬ 
son. A Winter covering of short ma¬ 
nure is put on when freezing com¬ 
mences, and the thick mulch of new ma¬ 
terial carefully placed, after good culti¬ 
vation has been given the young grow¬ 
ing plants in the Spring. There is sel¬ 
dom occasion to start new beds under 
this plan, but when a plot is to be en¬ 
tirely replanted it is very heavily ma¬ 
nured, and a crop of potatoes grown to 
incorporate the fertilizer thoroughly 
with the soil. It must not be forgotten 
that the owner’s minute and intelligent 
supervision counts for more than any 
special feature of the above plan of cul¬ 
ture. 
The results of the Hilton plan of fruit 
growing are shown in Mr. Jerolaman’s 
commission returns and bank account, 
which were carefully examined. The 
crop this season, on account of the dry 
cold Spring, is reckoned at only half a 
fair average, but sold for about as much 
as a full crop. About 17,000 quarts had 
been harvested in 16 pickings, and sold 
for 10 to 25 cents a quart, only an odd 
crate or so during a temporary glut 
dropping to nine cents. Sales of other 
fruits bring Mr. Jerolaman’s income 
from this eight-acre garden up to an 
average of $5,000 a year. As an example 
of the thoroughness with which details 
are carried out, every bunch of grapes 
on the place is carefully bagged, and all 
bags injured by storms or other causes 
during the season at once replaced. Only 
one assistant is employed by the year, 
but much casual help is needed during 
the picking season and other rush 
periods. _ w. v. f. 
Still—The Moth Trap. 
T. B., Michigan.—Are the moth catchers so 
much advertised reliable? Will they de¬ 
stroy the Codling moth and similar injur¬ 
ious insects? An agent living in this vicin¬ 
ity is booming them, and several farmers 
are talking of putting 10 or 12 in their or¬ 
chards. 
Ax's.—Any device consisting of a light 
and some destructive agent will catch 
night-flying insects. During warm 
nights great numbers are destroyed by 
the arc electric light, which as an insect 
killer is more effective than most of the 
moth traps advertised. The difficulty is 
that more beneficial than injurious in¬ 
sects are destroyed. In careful tests 
made in Canada and elsewhere it was 
found that three-fourths of all insects 
caught were of the decidedly beneficial 
type, most of them being Ichneumon 
flies, which kill many destructive in¬ 
sects by laying eggs on their bodies. In 
nearly all tests reported practically no 
Codling moths were caught. The moths 
of many destructive insects, the Cab¬ 
bage worm, for example, fly in daytime, 
and hence would not be trapped by these 
lanterns. We have not noticed that the 
moth trap makers claim to catch wood¬ 
chucks, hawks, bears or rattlesnakes; 
but perhaps they may gradually work 
up to these things. If one wishes to de¬ 
stroy as many night-flying insects as 
possible, regardless of their habits or 
usefulness, he will find the moth trap a 
help; but he need not expect it to take 
the place of spraying, necessary hand 
work or vigilance of the brand essential 
to successful fruit growing. 
Self-Warming Plants. 
When you write advertisers mention The 
R. N.-Y. and you will get a quick reply and 
“a square deal.” See our guarantee 8th page. 
D WYER'S Summer and Au¬ 
tumn Catalogue (now ready) 
of Pot-Grown Strawberry Plants, 
Celery, Cabbage, etc. Pot-Grown 
Clematis, Honeysuckle, Ivy, etc. 
A full line of Fruit and Ornamen¬ 
tal Trees Vines and Plants. 
This Catalogue, with beautiful colored plates, 
mailed free—write for it. T. J. DWYER & SON, 
Orange County Nurseries, Box 1, Cornwall, N. Y. 
THE PRESIDENT 
STRAWBERRY 
The Rural New-Yorker calls It “the most 
promising new variety of the year." 
It has been carefully tested for four years, and 
not offered for sale until fully matured. It has 
been grown in field culture, and marketed in 
large quantities by the side of other leading 
varieties leading them all in the qualities de¬ 
manded in big berries for a critical market. 
Large, Firm, High Colored, Well Flavored, 
POTTED PLANTS FOR SALE! 
Per dozen, S3. Per 50, SIO. 
Per 100, S18. 
Stock all in originator’s hands. Buyers protected 
THOMAS R. HUNT, lambertville, N.J 
Send for Circular. Mention this Paper. 
Plants 
Will produce a full crop of berries 
next June, if planted this Summer. 
DREER’S 
Mid-Summer Catalogue 
offers a choice line of these; also Celery, 
Cabbage, Cauliflower and other season¬ 
able plants. Write for copy, FREE. 
HENRY A. DREER, 714 Chestnut St., Phila., Pa. 
Potted Strawberry Plants, July I. 
T. C. KEVITT, Athenia, N. J. 
600,000 
Celery and Pot-grown Strawberry 
Plants See our Catalogue. 
Caleb Boggs & Son, Cheswold, Del. 
OKI EDV Dl AIITC _not spindling ones 
UCLCnl r LRU 10 and notraised by irri¬ 
gation method—$1.50 per thousand. CLOVER SEED 
—Choice, clean Crimson or Scarlet of my own raising, 
$4perbu.; sacks free. J. C. ELLIS, Millshoro, Del. 
R. T., Somers. N. Y .—The Mapes plan for 
self-warming may perhaps be good for 
plants as well as hens. Mine occupy the 
two end windows of an open hallway Im¬ 
perfectly warmed. I formerly put news¬ 
papers between them and the windows, 
but this year the papers froze so tightly 
to the panes that, instead, I have dropped 
a light curtain over the plants, which are 
thus shut in by themselves. The ther¬ 
mometer ranges about 10 degrees warmer 
behind that curtain than it formerly did 
in the open space and nearer the stove 
pipe. Moreover, the plants look better. 
Ans. —While heat is evolved during 
the growth of plants, as in any form of 
vital activity, the amount is so small 
that it can only be detected by the most 
precise means, and could not be expect¬ 
ed to set a ventilator on the Mapes plan 
in action. The higher temperature no¬ 
ticed about your plants when covered 
by a curtain is probably due to radia¬ 
tion from the pots and soil of the heat 
received from fire or sun throughout the 
preceding day. A flock of chickens, ra¬ 
diating at over 100 degrees heat pro¬ 
duced by the active combustion of car¬ 
bonaceous foods, is quite a different 
matter. Plants like fresh air, but the 
need for reasonable warmth at night is 
more urgent than for ventilation. 
W? I CT QV Plants, G. 8. B., II per 1,000; 
WlakdV V 70 oents500; $4.50, 5,000; W.P.. 
$1.28 per 1,000; 80 cents 500: $5.50, 5 000; G. Pascal, $1 40 
per 1,000 ; 90 cents 600; $0.50, 5,000. Less than 500, 
20c. per 100. Stout, stocky plants. The seed is sown 
thin In rich beds, and the plants are kept In steady, 
even growth by Irrigation. They are sheared back 
several times during the season to develop a stocky 
crown and large root system. They are taken up by 
expert help that a large mass of roots may be pre¬ 
served to each plant. The greatest care lstaken in 
every detail that they may reach the customer in 
perfect order. I ship in ventilated boxes with roots 
In damp moss. I ship promptly, and give personal 
care to each order. I ship from Maine to Iowa. I 
raise a million and a half plants. Circular free. 
F. W. ROCHELLE, Drawer 1, Chester, N. J. 
(ImSam more °f them. Sow my 
UniOn wwtS hardy White, earliest, Yellow 
and Red. 3 kinds. Send for testimonials and prices. 
BEAOLIEU, the Onion Specialist, Woodhaven, N.Y. 
VEGETABLE PLANTS. 
Cabbage—Danish Ballhead, $1 per 1,000. Celery- 
White Plume and Giant Pascal, $1.20 per 1,000; 
and transplanted plants, $2 per 1.000. Samples, 
5 cents. LDDW1G MOBBAIK, 85th St., near South 
Chicago Ave., Chicago, 111. 
{YRDERS booked now for new crop Crimson Clover 
seed ready June 15. Popular prices. Seed guar¬ 
anteed. Write JOHN J. ROSA, Milford, Del. 
■5* ^ m C2 I —500 bushels Early Black Cow 
r Ol Odlu Peas, $2 bu.; 100 bushelsEarly 
Black-eyed Peas, $2 bushel; 500 bushels Delaware- 
grown Crimson Clover Seed, $3.50 bushel. 
i. E. HOLLAND, Milford, Del. 
ESP * 1 Strongest Guarantee under the Sun. See Rogers’ 5 to 
Tree Breeders. ROGERS ON THE;|HILIi,*DansviUe,lN. Y. 
