1904. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
571 
NOTES ON THE STRAWBERRY CROP. 
With the proper treatment strawberries can be made 
to produce profitable crops for three or four years, and 
sometimes longer. Much will depend upon the kind of 
soil, the methods employed, the condition of the field 
after the fruiting season and the amount and price of 
labor. In renewing an old field of berries the work 
must be done immediately after the berries are picked. 
The field should first be mown if there are many 
weeds, which will be the case in a wet season or when 
but little straw is used. After the vines and weeds are 
dry they should be raked and used as a mulch for black¬ 
berries or fruit trees that cannot be cultivated. As little 
of the straw should be raked as possible. The best 
tool I have found to plow an old berry field is a disk 
harrow with part of the disKs removed. Sec Fig. 251. 
As will be seen, one inside and two outside disks have 
been removed from one section of the harrow, and one 
inside and three outside from the other section, thus 
leaving three disks on one side and two on the other. 
The number of disks to remove will depend upon the 
kind of harrow used. The one I used this year but one 
inside and three outside disks were removed from each 
section, leaving two on eacn side. With the harrow 
weighted and with four horses it is drawn through each 
row, cutting out the surplus plants on side of row and 
leaving a row of plants anout 12 inches wide. It throws 
the dirt away from the plants that are left, thus making 
hoeing easier. All the soil between the rows will be 
stirred and the straw and vines will be worked into the 
soil to form humus, one of the essentials in good straw¬ 
berry soil. 
If there is a wide row of plants and a good stand the 
harrow should be run to one side of the center of the 
old row, thus leaving the newer and better plants to 
form the new row. This leaves room for 
the new runners to grow where the old 
row was, and which will form the new 
row the next year the field is plowed. It 
is well to disk every other row first, and 
then those that are left, as better work 
will be accomplished. Men with hoes fol¬ 
low the harrow, cutting out weeds and 
thinning the plants. Nitrate of soda, 
about 100 pounds per acre, is now broad¬ 
cast over the field. This should be done 
just before a rain if possible. This will 
give the plants a good start. A high- 
grade fertilizer is also applied at the rate 
of about 400 pounds per acre. This is 
distributed over the plants and along the 
side of the row. The field is now culti¬ 
vated either with a spike-tooth harrow or 
a double-shovel plow, according to the 
condition of the soil. The aim is to throw 
the dirt back to the row and fill up the 
furrow on each side of the rows. This 
year I expect to try a disk cultivator for 
the second cultivation, and throw a high 
ridge of dirt next to each row and then 
harrow this ridge down with a square har¬ 
row on to the plants and partly cover them 
up, thus saving some hoeing, and will leave loose soil 
around the plants for the new roots, which must come 
out above the old ones. Cultivation and hoeing from 
now on is the same as a new field of berries. In the 
Fall another application of 400 pounds of fertilizer is 
made; one containing less nitrogen and more potash 
and phosphoric acid is best. An application of nitrate 
of soda in the Spring will increase the yield of berries, 
but it will make the berries soft. They will, however, 
be sound enough for home or local market. Mulch 
lightly with straw in the Fall before the ground freezes 
and a heavy application after the ground freezes suffi¬ 
ciently to bear a loaded wagon. The first application 
prevents the ground from freezing so early in the Fall, 
thus allowing the plants to grow longer before cold 
weather, and the heavy application between the rows 
keeps down weeds and helps to retain moisture through 
the bearing season. A liberal use of high-grade ferti¬ 
lizers to supply plant food, constant cultivation to con¬ 
serve moisture for the use of the growing plant and 
heavy mulching to retain the moisture through the bear¬ 
ing season are three of the essentials in successful 
strawberry growing. elmer g. tufts. 
Indiana. 
The Season's Strawberries. 
As compared with the last two seasons strawberries 
have been a fair crop, but beside former seasons they 
have given about half a crop. Two years ago in this 
section they were largely killed by a frost on May 27, 
not more than one-third escaping. Last year tully one- 
half were destroyed by successive frosts in May. The 
heavy freezing last Winter seems to have injured the 
crowns so that a full bloom did not put out. Where 
they were heavily mulched they endured the Winter 
somewhat better. Another adverse condition was found 
in so many cold rainy days during the blooming period, 
resulting in imperfect pollenization. The fruiting season 
was late and short. The Excelsior began June 6, and 
the Gandy closed on July 9. There was one feature 
observed this season and last which was unusual; early, 
mid-season and late varieties began ripening their fruit 
nearly at the same time. We had made but two pickings 
of the early Excelsior when the medium late Sample and 
Aroma began, and two days later the mid-season Glen 
Mary began ripening. Within a week from our first 
picking of the earlies the Gandy commenced giving us 
ripe fruit. Sample and Aroma gave us twice the fruit 
picked from our other varieties, and much larger berries. 
This was due to some extent to the fact that this was 
their first season, while the others were fruiting for the 
third and fourth time. Our plants of the heaviest fo¬ 
liage, other things being equal, gave best returns. Our 
experience during these three unfavorable seasons shows 
the necessity of selecting varieties with deep-growing 
roots and heavy foliage, since they better resist drought 
and frosts. Among such we have fruited Excelsior, 
Brandywine, Sample and Aroma, Challenge and Beder- 
wood. Next to them in our field are Glen Mary, Wm. 
Belt and Brunette. The Clyde and Haverland as well 
as the Nic Ohmer are rather faulty in these respects, 
though otherwise they are excellent berries. 
Our experience this season, as well as in a dry season, 
has emphasized the importance of heavy mulching, espe¬ 
cially where the hill system is followed, and this to pre¬ 
vent the evil effects of heavy freezing, or alternate freez¬ 
ing and thawing, to discourage weed growth, conserve 
moisture and prevent the berries from being sanded. On 
our soil and for our home market we have found the 
following varieties the most profitable. For extra early, 
on light sandy loam well fertilized, Excelsior; second 
early on a heavier sandy loam, Haverland with Lovett, 
or if the sod is very rich ana the plant is well supplied 
REFITTING AN OLD STRAWBERRY BED. Fig. 251. 
with nitrate of soda, Clyde may be used as the pollenizer. 
It is exceedingly prolific, but its foliage is hardly suffi¬ 
cient to protect its fruit. For midseason, Glen Mary, 
Wm. Belt, Brunette. For medium late, Brandywine, 
Sample with Aroma, and for latest, Gandy on a very rich 
clay loam. With this selection on soil ranging from 
light sandy loam to heavy clay loam, and by opening the 
mulch first on the earlies, next on the midseason varie¬ 
ties, and holding it on the late as long as possible with¬ 
out bleaching the plants, we usually have a fruiting sea¬ 
son extending from the last week in May to the second 
week in July. We cultivate in the hill system chiefly, 
raise from 150 to 200 bushels per acre; have them 
assorted well, honestly and neatly picked and crated; 
deliver to a few leading grocers here in the city, two 
miles distant from our field, twice a day, and receive 
from $2 to $5 per bushel, selling our culls wherever we 
can at half price. i. A. thayer. 
Lawrence Co., Pa. 
HOW SOME FARMERS THRASH. 
In former years thrashing conditions around here 
were poor. The machine could rarely be secured when 
needed, hands were scarce, two or more machines were 
often in the neighborhood at one time, and because 
of long moves to be made, hands waiting for the ma¬ 
chine to arrive, etc., much valuable time was lost. To 
obviate this the farmers around here organized a thrash¬ 
ing association which they call a “thrashing ring,” or 
simply the “ring.” Each member furnishes one hand 
for every job in the “ring,” and each hand is assigned 
a job which is his throughout the thrashing season. 
Since the jobs are taken in regular order, the hands 
(knowing what their task is) move promptly from one 
man’s field to the next and begin work, thus saving- 
time. After all are through thrashing every member 
who had more wheat thrashed than another pays to that 
other 12j4 cents for each 1UU bushels of excess, less than 
50 bushels counting nothing and over 50 the same as 
100. This settlement is made through the secretary- 
treasurer by the exchange system. Thrashermen make 
their agreements with the "ring,” but are paid person¬ 
ally by the members. The thrasherman begins where 
and takes the jobs in the order which the “ring” directs. 
The officers are a president, a secretary-treasurer, and 
a captain. The president officiates at all meetings. The 
secretary-treasurer keeps the records and officiates at 
the settlement at the close of the season. The captain 
assigns to each his task for the season. 
Now for the results. In the first place, since all 
thrashermen are eager to do the work, the men have 
the pick of all the machines around. They therefore 
get the best machine. In the second place, other far¬ 
mers, seeing the value of co-operation, want admission 
to the “ring,” thus making failure from loss of mem¬ 
bership impossible. Lastly, and most important, the 
work is done in much less time than formerly. Under 
the present arrangement long moves are prevented and 
the whole force goes promptly to work on a new job. 
Indiana. _ c. A. L. 
SHORT STORIES. 
SALT AND CABBAGE MAGGOTS.—A week 
since, I found a patch of Winter cabbage which had 
been neglected, and was in a bad way. Personal atten¬ 
tion was at once given to every plant, by leaning the 
root-stalk each way, and dropping a pinch of salt on 
each side, and so all round the stalk. The result is 
the same that I have secured for the last 20 years or 
so; perfect success except in about five per cent of the 
number of plants, which were too far gone for recuper¬ 
ation. Ninety-five per cent of the plants held up their 
heads in two or three days, and are now 
growing strongly. I do not expect the 
necessity of a second application; but if 
the contingency arises, I am old enough, 
and sensible enough, to know what to do. 
Common sense, and nobody else, taught 
me to be sure that the Cabbage maggot 
could not endure salt; while my “for¬ 
bears” of a half century ago taught me 
that salt was “good for cabbage.” I put 
the two suggestions together, and found 
the specific. I do not remember to have 
had any “club foot” upon a patch of cab¬ 
bages where salt had been used for the 
maggot. Less success has been met in 
fighting the green caterpillar. e. w. 
PAINTING METAL ROOFS.—Refer¬ 
ring to a communication from R. M. R., 
on page 533, he should have no difficulty 
in securing "metallic brown” paint at any 
paint store. There are several grades and 
various brands, but all are simply iron ore 
which has been roasted and ground fine. 
Composition and qualities vary, of course. 
It is simply iron rust, and yet a very good 
paint for metal roofs. Venetian red is 
quite another thing, being made up with 
gypsum as a base which is tinted with a strong 
oxide of iron for color. It is not so well 
adapted to roofs as the “metallic” or oxide of 
iron paint I would advise buying either kind of paint 
ready ground in oil, but be sure to get the best. As 
to driers in roofing paint the less the better. Linseed 
oil is a self-drier, and in clear, dry, warm weather, on a 
roof, would need no driers, though a small portion, say 
a gill to the gallon of paint, will do no great harm. 
Nearly a pint of good Japan drier to the gallon of 
paint is entirely too much in any case. Driers burn the 
life out of a paint. Boiled oil is useful for mixing the 
paint, only it is more inclined to blister. Raw oil is 
safest, with a little good Japan. A metal roof painted in 
Autumn, say in October, will retain paint in good condi¬ 
tion very much longer than when the paint is applied 
in warm weather. This because the paint in cool 
weather has a chance to become hard before the hot sun 
attacks it; whereas, in warm weather the sun begins at 
once to burn out the oil, in which work driers assist. 
Steel is peculiarly liable to rust out, much more so than 
iron. Red lead makes a good prime coat for sheet steel. 
Malvern, Pa. a. a. k. 
THE “SPORTS” AND GAME.—Touching on the 
bird question, it has long appeared to me that it is a 
base imposition for “sports” and pot hunters to strip 
our acres of so valuable and desirable a tenant as our 
bird friends. For the greater part they are co-laborers 
against weeds and insects and cheering companions. 
I think it more humane to shoot the hunters than to 
shoot the birds, and why farmers allow the city chaps to 
roam over the fields killing our animals is a puzzler 
Make them keep out. Post signs and enforce same. 
Goshen, N. Y. j. m. h. 
R. N.-Y.—Tt is hard for a single farmer to enforce the 
law. We. have known such sports to shoot the signs 
down and threaten the farmer when he protested. Some 
of them are mean enougn to set the woods on fire in 
revenge for being driven off the farm. The thing for 
farmers to do is to combine and agree to post all the 
land in a neighborhood, and then support each other 
The game found on a farm belongs to the farmer who 
occupies the land, and he should protect it. 
