10 
Bulletin 53. 
there would be advantage in planting in alternate narrow blocks in 
order to facilitate interchange of pollen, for it has been shown that 
some plants, although perfectly self-fertile, derived advantage from 
the use of foreign pollen. 
A further point to be considered in choosing varieties to be 
planted together, is the time of blooming. To be of advantage to 
the pistillate variety, the pollen producer must bloom at the same 
time, and the same would be true if aiming at mutual advantage 
from cross-fertilization between perfect flowered varieties. 
PICKING THE FRUIT. 
If the berries are to be shipped some distance, it is important 
that they be picked at just the right degree of ripeness, not too green 
nor yet fully ripe. This can only be learned by experience. 
The calyx with a short piece of stem should always be left 
attached to the fruit. Growers should watch that careless pickers 
pay attention to this point, as it is essential to the keeping quality. 
Berries detached from the calyx should go with the over ripe fruit 
and buttons, and these shoul 1 never be mixed with good marketable 
berries, because they take from the value of the whole. Careful 
grading requires extra labor, but it is profitable. The grower who 
attends to it can establish such a reputation for his fruit that it will 
be always in demand, even at advanced prices. It is the common 
fruit that is always over-abundant in the markets. Choice fruit is, 
as a rule, scarce and seldom seen on the market in quantity equal 
to the demand. 
After the fruit is all picked, the spaces between the rows 
should be cultivated and the rows cleared of all weeds b}^ hoeing. 
Cultivation should be continued until October, and water should be 
applied as often as is necessary to promote vigorous growth. Good 
care will induce the formation of fruiting crowns, upon which the 
success of the next crop depends. 
DURATION OF PLANTATIONS. 
In our experience two years is as long as a bed can be main¬ 
tained with profit. The first year of fruiting will give the largest 
fruit, the second the greatest quantity, then vigor diminishes ; the 
rows are too crowded to admit the growth of new plants, weeds 
multiply and are hard to control; for these reasons it is best to plow 
up the bed immediately after the removal of the second crop. A 
new bed should be set each year and an old one plowed up. Fol¬ 
lowing the plowing of an old bed, the land should be used for one 
season for some other crop, or it is possible to meet good results by 
sowing with some soiling crop as soon as plowed, this to be turned 
under in the fall. 
Many eastern growers find greatest profit in the practice of 
taking but one crop. The plants are set in August, fruited the next 
