3o6 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
April 27 
SHALL WE WIN STRAWBERRIES ? 
The Demand for Large Truit. 
Do you know of .any case where strawberry growers 
have cut off the fruit or blooms for the purpose of ob¬ 
taining large and perfect fruit? One of our readers has 
had more or less trouble with his plants setting a large 
amount of bloom and producing only a heavy crop of 
small inferior berries. He says that as it pays to thin 
out apples, plums or peaches, it might also pay to thin 
out or cut off a portion of these fruits, hoping thus to 
obtain a large size for those left on the plant. Do you 
know that this has ever been done? Do you think that 
it would pay where one has a market for fine berries? 
Thinning blossoms is done more particularly to ob¬ 
tain exhibition berries, not only to get larger berries 
but those of better shape. The thinning should be 
done after the berries are formed, cutting out the 
small and deformed ones. I do not think the thin¬ 
ning is done much for market purposes; a liberal sup¬ 
ply of manure with lots of water will pay better foi 
the market. You must give the plants plenty of room. 
After the berries are well set watering with liquid 
manure will help out the size of the fruit. Water has 
more to do with the size than any one thing. If 
people should set out a few of different varieties they 
would soon learn the best kind for them to adopt. 
Weston, Mass. s. n. warren. 
As neither variety nor method of culture is given 
it is difficult to suggest a remedy. With us the large 
fruited varieties rarely set more specimens than they 
carry through to perfection in a favorable season. In 
hothouse culture the fruit is always thinned, but 1 
feel sure it would not be profitable in a commercial 
sense in field culture. I think the best way the in¬ 
quirer can attain his object is to keep his plants thin 
either by using a very narrow row or thoroughly thin¬ 
ning the plants in the wider row if he grows them so. 
We find that the largest and best fruit is produced 
upon strong, well-developed plants as near 12 months 
old at the time of fruiting as possible, and our small¬ 
est and most numerous on large stools or hills with 
the runners cut. f. g. tick. 
Oswego Co., N. Y. 
I have no experience on this particular line, but I 
have no doubt it would bring the desired effect. I am 
inclined to think, however, that the remedy would 
cost more than the patient would sell for. A far more 
practical plan would be to plant varieties that do not 
overburden themselves with fruit or manure and irri¬ 
gate to bring the immense loads of fruit to perfection. 
Irrigation would scarcely be more expensive, and 
would at least double the crop. It would be a tre¬ 
mendous job to thin the blossoms on an acre of straw¬ 
berries grown in the matted-row system, or even if 
grown in hills. Furthermore, this would have to be 
done every year. I would advise that if the market 
is good enough to justify the expense of thinning to 
improve the quality, the more practical thing would 
be to irrigate. w. f. allen. 
Maryland. 
This would not be my way to produce such results, 
and I do not think it would pay. There are ways that 
are practicable and will pay. Your correspondent un¬ 
doubtedly has too wide rows and too many plants in 
the rows. Grow the plants in narrow rows, set plants 
three feet apart in the row, and fertilize liberally, and 
enough plants will grow to make all the row needed 
for good results. If the trade will pay for the extra 
trouble set plants three feet apart in the row and set 
first runner plants in a single row about six inches 
apart, and take off all runners that start on the plants 
afterward. Rows may be two to 2^ feet apart. To 
sum up the matter, reduce the number of plants in 
the row, and feed them liberally. This is the key to 
success, provided they are given proper cultivation 
and climatic conditions are favorable. 
Dutchess Co., N. Y. Walter f. taker. 
I have never seen the fruit or blooms of strawber¬ 
ries thinned for the purpose of obtaining large, per¬ 
fect fruit, neither do I think the practice would pay, 
even if it would accomplish the desired result, because 
such work could only be done by the most careful 
workmen, and must be done at the very busiest sea¬ 
son of the year, when such workmen cannot be spared. 
It is easy to grow large strawberries for a near-by 
market without thinning—this is the method I fol¬ 
lowed for a number of years very successfully: Select 
perfect-flowering varieties; these do not set too many 
fruit stalks. Plant in the Spring in rich, well-pre¬ 
pared ground, and cut off all the fruit stalks the first 
year as soon as they are in full bloom (this work can 
be done by boys and girls very cheaply). Keep clean 
and well cultivated during the entire season. As soon 
as the ground has frozen sufficiently hard to bear a 
horse and cart, cover the entire surface of the ground 
with fine horse manure at least two inches deep (I use 
manure from a livery stable bedded with sawdust); 
allow this mulch to remain on the ground. The plants 
will grow right up through it in the Spring; the 
Spring rains will wash it thoroughly, leaving a surface 
of clean sawdust for the berries to ripen on. The ni¬ 
trogenous manure produces a large stalk with rank 
foliage, the mulch holds the moisture, and the result 
is large berries. Of course strawberries grown this 
way will be soft, and cannot be shipped long dis¬ 
tances, but will command high prices in near-by mar¬ 
kets. Ninety per cent of the strawberry is water; the 
heavy mulch recommended above, placed on top of a 
soil well-filled with humus, will furnish a large sup¬ 
ply of water to the crop, and in my opinion is cheaper 
and better than thinning the blooms or fruit on an 
unmulched patch. Gabriel heister. 
Pennsylvania. _ 
ADVERTISING AT FARMERS’ INSTITUTES. 
Farmers’ institute programmes often have advertis¬ 
ing matter printed on them, the result of solicitation 
among local business men. In recent attendance at 
a local Indiana institute the writer found a scheme 
new to him, that had been tried, of having farmers 
advertise their goods for sale on the programme in¬ 
stead of town merchants. The accompanying illus¬ 
tration, Fig. 124, shows a page from this programme. 
The idea is an excellent one and should be taken up 
I have a 
Work Horse and a Fine Brood Mare for Sale. 
Both six years old. Also Pedi¬ 
greed Hereford-Cattle. 
G. M. Naber, > - Treaty^ I«d. 
F'or Sale 
One three,-year-ol,d heavy draft gelding. 
Also Barred P. Rock poultry. Eggs in Season. 
Write your wants. ” 
nr ET. 
70 Acre Farm for Sale 
Good Soil, well ditched, good fences, 
fair buildings. 
J. M. CRUMRINE, - - Somerset, Ind. 
One Milk Cow for Sale- 
j Will be fresh soon. ^ 
NOAH FRANK. 
Somerset, Ind, 
FOR SALE. 
One 12-horse traction Engine, Advance 
thrasher and stacker and one clover hullen 
Does good work. 
Alonzo CRnMRIliE. _ Somerset, Ind. 
FOR PURE BRED 
Plymouth Rock Chickens' and 
Bronze Thrkeys. See 
Mrs, W. E, English, Treaty. Ind. 
by farmers. They not only help support the institute 
by doing this, but they also let their friends and 
neighbors know what they have for sale. 
C. B. FLUMB. 
COW LUNCH IN THE PASTURE. 
The practice of “soiling” or cutting and carrying 
green crops to stock is increasing, as farmers realize 
how much more food can be obtained on an acre in 
this way. A few dairymen grow a great variety of 
crops, so that from the earliest rye until the latest 
barley and peas there is always a supply of green food. 
Many, however, are satisfied with rye, corn and mil¬ 
let. No doubt corn is the best single crop for this 
purpose, but it should be pieced out at either end of 
the season, and in order to do this crops must be 
grown that will stand the frost. Our picture. Pig. 123, 
shows a Massachusetts hiilside pasture in which the 
cows are taking their green lunch. Our western read¬ 
ers will smile at the rocks which stick their noses out 
of the soil of this pasture! The cows know their busi¬ 
ness, however, and are not afraid of the stones. They 
will put that corn sandwich just where it will do the 
most good. Mr. Nichols, who owns the cows, writes 
this note about the corn: 
“This corn that the cows are eating grew in a field 
beside the pasture, and I had only to throw it over 
the fence. I do not advocate always feeding the corn 
to the cows in the pasture, as the stronger cows get 
more than their share; but when it is first large 
enough to use, it is so tender they will eat it up clean, 
or if any is left they will finish it next morning. It 
is very convenient to do this when the cornfield hap¬ 
pens to be alongside the pasture. I generally plant 
about two acres of fodder corn for Fall feeding, and 
have it ready for use about August 1, when the pas¬ 
ture begins to dry up. I feed it once a day, giving 
each cow all I can possibly lift with both arms. Ex¬ 
cept occasionally, as you see it fed in the picture, I 
bring it to the barn with a wagon, and have it for the 
cows when they come from the pasture at night. I 
had on these two acres last Fall about five tons. It 
grows from six to 12 feet high. I feed it green until 
the frost takes it, then cut, bind and stook the bal¬ 
ance. I use western yellow corn for seed. Some of 
the readers may think that it is a great temptation 
to have the cornfield beside the pasture, and the cows 
I had corn on three sides of the pasture, and the cows 
did not break into the corn any more than they did 
into the mowing or road. I generally keep my eye 
on them, so they never do any great damage. Once, 
when some berry-pickers left the bars down the cows 
passed through the cornfield and never molested it. 
They passed through two other fields into a field of 
cabbages, where they filled themselves in grand style.” 
SPRAYING TREES IN FEBRUARY. 
A Call for Information. 
On page 207 Edwin Hoyt says: “Spray in Febru¬ 
ary with Bordeaux Mixture.” Is this sound advice, 
or a slip of the pen? Imagine getting out the spray¬ 
ing rig and attempting to spray an orchard in snow¬ 
banks three feet deep, to say nothing about the frosty 
air and howling winds incident to the season. But 
this is not the point. Why the need of a fungicide in 
February? We read that the fungous diseases are 
most active in damp muggy weather and are prac¬ 
tically dormant through the Winter, or until about 
the time the buds begin to swell in Spring. But, 
granting the need of a fungus spray in February, 
why the lapse of from eight to 10 weeks, when the 
blossom buds appear, before Mr. Hoyt advises the 
second spraying? Be it remembered that Bordeaux 
Mixture is not a cure, but only a check to fungous 
growth, and if there De need of a spray in February 
why not a similar need every two or three weeks 
thereafter until the blossoms appear? Mr. Hoyt 
further advises the application of Paris-green “after 
the blossoms fall and fruit is well formed.” To be¬ 
ginners and all looking for advice on the subject we 
urgently advise especial heed of the first part of the 
clause, “after the blossoms fall,” and not wait until 
“fruit is well formed.” Our best scientists have ob¬ 
served that from 75 to 85 per cent of the worms of 
the Codling moth enter the apple, that is, take their 
first meal, through the blossom end. Therefore, to 
make the application most effective, here is where the 
sprayer should lodge most of the insecticide. Now 
then to lodge the spray in the blossom or calyx 
end of the little apple it must be done within a week 
after the blossom falls, or it will then be too late, 
as close observers have noticed that immediately 
after the blossom falls the calyx cup in the miniature 
apple begins to close up, and is almost completely 
closed up in a week or 10 days. It is obvious, then, 
if, we wait until the “fruit is well formed” before ap¬ 
plying the poison our opportunity will have passed. 
In the light of our experience, and in that of other 
orchardists with whom we are conversant, we would 
make the first application of Bordeaux when the buds 
first show signs of swelling, which is in this lati¬ 
tude about April 10 to 15; the second when blossom 
buds show red ends; (we apply poison also with these 
applications for bud moth, tent caterpillars, etc.), the 
third immediately after blossoms have fallen; and 
fourth about 10 days or two weeks later. These are 
not iron-clad rules, but are modified according to the 
weather and season. Some of the best orchardists 
omit the first application named, while others substi¬ 
tute this for the second, thinking it more important. 
"We make these comments not in any unfriendliness 
to Mr. Hoyt, but to bring out whatever is to be 
learned on the subject. "What all good orchardists 
want to know is just when and only when it is neces¬ 
sary to spray. w. a. bassett. 
Seneca Co., N. Y. 
Mr. Edwin Hoyt Talks. 
That is quite right, Mr. Bassett. If you do not be¬ 
lieve a thing which you see written, or do not un¬ 
derstand it, then pitch in and dress out the writer. 
That is the way to draw out the discussion. But you 
are doing well, very well. You spray your trees four 
times in the season. That is much better than very 
many orchardists do. If that accomplishes all to be 
desired in spraying then do as you are doing; I have 
no criticism to make. I made no slip of the pen, 
however, when I said spray the apple trees in Febru¬ 
ary. I am advising from my section, where we sel¬ 
dom have “snow banks three feet deep or howling 
winds” in February, so that there are not some days 
in the month fitted for orchard spraying. If in the 
latitude of Mr. Bassett it is impracticable to spray 
in February, then do it as soon as it is practicable. 
It is not absolutely necessary to do it in February, 
but it ig advisable to do it some time while the trees 
