I 
58 SEVENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE 
the berry will be too soft)—a soil rich and retentive of mois¬ 
ture yet easily drained. Here let me say that a soil either 
naturally fertile or made so by judicious fertilization is gen¬ 
erally retentive of moisture. To that extent fertilization will 
take the place of irrigation. By observing this principle I 
believe that the strawberry can be grown to perfection as well 
on high pine land as on rich hammock or flatwoods. 
Second, moisture. How to obtain this in exceptionally dry 
seasons is a difficult problem. In some localities sprinkling 
by means of water thrown in the air from a hose does not 
suit the case. The fall of water even a fine spray has, in my 
own experience, had an injurious effect both in the quality and 
productiveness of the plant. This may, however, be from 
some other cause which my experience has not been extensive 
enough to detect. To my mind an effective scheme of sub¬ 
irrigation would be just the thing, especially upon sandy 
land, as that would unite the advantages of moisture and per¬ 
fect drainage. 
Moisture can also be conserved by mulching. The best 
article for this purpose is clean straw covering between the 
rows and carefully placed under the plant so as to prevent 
both leaves and fruit from touching the sand. Where clean 
straw, either oat or rye, cannot be obtained, wire grass raked 
when dry will answer quite as well. This is an excellent 
practice in any case, even where moisture is abundant, and 
the mulching should be put in place before the fruit ripens 
As to fertilization, which I deem the most important of all, 
much can be said. Even the wisest cannot say it all. We 
can apply chemicals which will cause the plant to grow and 
bear fruit, but the peculiar aroma which gives to every fruit 
its own individuality we cannot place in the soil. Most soils 
contain, to a greater or lesser extent, the acids of which that 
flavor is composed, but the tree or plant must compound them 
in its own laboratory. One thing, however, observation has 
taught—that the most healthy and normally vigorous plants 
and trees produc e the most highly flavored fruit. To that 
end we can supply those elements which will but conduce to 
that result. You all know what they are—ammonia, phos¬ 
phoric acid and potash. All these should be in the form of 
sulphate as we need the sulphuric acid to make our berry 
sweet. Almost any of the high grade fertilizers will be found 
efficient. My own preference is for a purely chemical 
formula. 
Prepare the ground by thoroughly pulverizing it, at the 
same time mixing in as much fertilizer as your conscience 
will allow. You need not fear putting on too much if 
