P. J. BERCKMANS COMPANY. AUGUSTA. GA. 
BLACKBERRIES—Continu d. 
Eldorado. Very hardy and vigorous. Berries large, 
borne in large clusters and ripen well together. Very 
sweet, nn ^oro; hea’-v bearer. A valuable sort. 75c 
for 10; $3.50 per 100. 
Erie. Very productive. Frivifc large, round, good 
quality. One of the most popular sorts. Early. 
Mersereau. A most valuable variety. Fruit of im¬ 
mense size. Early and enormous bearer; very hardy. 
A very popular market sort. 75c for 10, $3.50 
per 100. 
Wilson’s Early. A fine, very large, early sort. Of ex 
cellent flavor; ripens finely. Productive, and a good 
market sort. Ripens end of May. 
DEWBERRIES 
10 strong plants for. $0.50 
50 strong plants for. 1.50 
100 strong plants for. 2.00 
1,000 strong plants for. 15.00 
Culture —Use short, stout stakes driven at the 
end of each row of canes, with a cross-piece 18 inches 
long nailed to each stake 2% to 3 feet from the 
ground. On the top, near each end of these cross¬ 
pieces, drive a stout nuil slanting toward the stake 
upon which to catch a wire. Two lines of No. 14 
galvanized wire, one on each side of the row, are 
Fastened to one of the end staKes and run on the 
ground between the rows to the other end stake. 
These wires are now drawn as taut as possible and 
securely fastened to the other end of the row. The 
wire on each side is now raised, pressing the canes 
inward, and caught on the nails, thus holding all the 
canes closely together in the row. 
Austin’s Improved. After trying this variety for 
several years, wo pronounce it, with confidence, 
the best Dewberry for this climate. Fruit 
very large, subacid, vinous. but of second 
quality. Enormous bearer. The most productive 
market variety we have ever grown, as it is 8 to 
10 days ahead of any other. Strong and vigorous 
grower and stands our hottest summers perfectly. 
Free from rust. Twenty-five 2-year plants produced 
forty quarts of immense berries. 
RASPBERRIES 
10 strong plants for. $0.50 
50 strong plants for. 1.50 
100 strong plants for . 2.00 
1,000 strong plants for .: . 15.00 
Culture—The same as for blackberries and dew¬ 
berries. These thrive best in a deep moist, well- 
drained soil; the lighter loams are best for the red 
and the heavy loams for the black-caps. To make a 
success of Raspberries, the land should be able to 
withstand drought well. Cottonseed meal, pure ground 
bone or fertilizers containing a good proportion of pot¬ 
ash are best and should be liberally applied during 
the winter and early spring. Mulching the ground is 
recommended. 
Columbia. Fruit resembles Shaffers; very large, pur¬ 
plish, vigorous and productive. 
Cuthbert. After several years’ trial this proves one 
of the best and most reliable of the red-fruited 
varieties. Fruit red; large, of excellent quality; 
yield very prolific; ripens middle of May and con¬ 
tinues for several weeks. 
Golden Queen. Fruit golden yellow; similar in 
quality to Cuthbert, to which it is evidently a close 
relation. Its fine color attracts the eye. ‘ Prolific; 
stands our summers. 
Loudon. Fruit large, rich crimson; excellent quality; 
very productive and stands the southern clima'te 
without injury; is a good shipper, as berries do not 
crumble. The more we see of this berry the better 
we like it. 
STRAWBERRIES 
Price of strong plants, tied in bunches of 25: 
,uuu lur ... . ... 
Special prices for large lots. 
Culture — The Strawberry adapts itself to almost 
any soil which is not too wet or arid, but it will do 
best on a deep, rich, sandy loam. The land should be 
thoroughly prepared by being broken up with a two- 
horse turn-plow, first applying from 15 to 25 two- 
horse loads of well-decomposed manure to the acre; 
a top-dressing of hardwood ashes (40 or 50 bus.), 
muriate of potash (300 to 400 Tbs.) or bone meal 
(500 lbs.) should be applied per acre during February. 
Avoid nitrogenous fertilizers just before the blooming 
period, as these will induce a strong vine at the ex¬ 
pense of the fruit; the plant is also forced into a 
very sappy growth, which will make it tender and 
therefore susceptible to being burned out during the 
hot, dry summers. Plants set out after the fall rains 
will yield a fair crop of fruit during the following 
spring, but a large crop cannot be expected until, the 
second year. It is undesirable to let the plants re¬ 
main after the second year, and more profitable to 
plant every year, so that one field may taice the place 
as the other is plowed up. Set the plants in rows 
1x3 feet, thus one acre will require 14,520 plants. 
For the South we advise matted rows in preference to 
stool cultivation, as the former are more resistant to 
prolonged droughts. After the crop is gathered keep 
the soil well stirred and always free from weeds. Re¬ 
move all runners as fast as they appear; this will in¬ 
crease the size of the plant and also the quantity of 
the berries produced. We have tested hundreds of 
varieties of Strawberries and find few that will give 
general satisfaction. Locality has a great influence 
unon the success of this fruit, and therefore we can¬ 
not depend upon the same variety thriving equally well 
in different soils and localities. 
MULCHING—After a thorough working of the soil 
in the early spring, a thin covering of straw or leaves 
can be placed around, but not over, the plants. Let 
this mulching remain during the fruiting period, then 
remove. Keep the beds well cultivated and free from 
weeds during the balance of the year. 
SEX OF BLOSSOM — The blossoms of most varieties 
are perfect or bi-sexual, and are termed staminate, but 
some varieties, destitute of stamens, are imperfect and 
are termed pistillate. The latter are, as a rule, the 
most productive if planted near perfect flowering sorts; 
otherwise they will jiot produce fruit. Plant three 
rows of a good pistillate variety, then three rows of 
a perfect or staminate sort, etc. Lady Thompson is a 
good pollenizer, but care must be taken to keep the 
runners of each variety from encroaching upon the 
others. 
ORDERING PLANTS—We cannot fill orders for 
plants at the prices quoted until the plants are well 
rooted, and providing that the condition of soil admits 
of being dug with safety after October 20. To fill 
orders for plants before the last crop of runners is 
well rooted entails the loss of three plants where one 
is secured. We request our patrons not to have plants 
forwarded until the weather is sufficiently cool, and 
the soil in good order to plant with safety. 
All varieties listed below are staminate, or with per¬ 
fect blossoms, except those marked (P), which are pis¬ 
tillate. 
Leading market varieties in capitals. 
EXCELSIOR. Very productive; medium to large size; 
dark red; globular form; fine flavor; heavy yielder. 
A promising variety. 
LADY THOMPSON. Large; usually round; light scar 
let; colors evenly, and berries are of regular size; 
firm, sweet; quality good; as early as the earliest, 
and a prolific bearer; plants strong and healthy. 
The most profitable early variety for this section. 
Ripe April 15. 
MARSHALL. Berries of regular form; dark, glossy 
red; fine flavor. Excellent market variety. 
SAMPLE. (P.) Of large size; good quality. An 
enormous bearer and continues to produce fruit for 
a long time. A fine variety. 
