success with small fruits

8/12/2019 Success With Small Fruits

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Success With Small Fruits

E. P. Roe

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Title2 Success With Small Fruits

3uthor2 E. P. Roe

Release 'ate2 4uly, 5667 8EBook 9!!0:8*es, $e are more than one year ahea& of sche&ule:8This file $as first #oste& on ;o%ember !!, 5665:

E&ition2 !6


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=@E SEE;TEE;

S>""ESS W)T S@3)TS

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#ractical #rose in this book are interesting but, as a leafless #lantor bush, la&en $ith fruit, $oul& a##ear gaunt an& nake&, so, to the$riter, a book about them $ithout any attem#t at foliage an& flo$ers$oul& seem unnatural. The mo&ern chronicler has transforme& historyinto a fascinating story. E%en science is no$ taught through thecharms of fiction. Shall this &e#artment of kno$le&ge, so generallyuseful, be left only to technical #roseC Why shoul& $e not ha%e a

class of books as #ractical as the gar&ens, fiel&s, an& cro#s,concerning $hich they are $ritten, an& at the same time ha%ing much ofthe light, sha&e, color, an& life of the outof&oor $orl&C ) merelyclaim that ) ha%e ma&e an attem#t in the right &irection, but, like anunskillful artist, may ha%e so confuse& my lights, sha&es, an& mi-e&my colors so ba&ly, that my #ictures resemble a stra$berrybe& in$hich the $ee&s ha%e the better of the fruit.


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$hat ) then thought $as true ) no$ rea& $hat has been &eclare& trueby highest authorities. ) ha%e more confi&ence in their ju&gment thanin my o$n, an&, ha%ing been so fortunate as to gain their a##ro%al, )fear to me&&le $ith a recor& $hich, in a sense, has become theirs as$ell as mine. Therefore ) ha%e &eci&e& to lea%e the bo&y of the bookuntouche&.

When ) rea& the lists of %arieties ) foun& many that ha%e becomeobsolete, many that $ere ne%er $orthy of a name. Shoul& ) re%ise theselists, as ) fully e-#ecte& to &o, from time to timeC 3t #resent ) ha%econclu&e& that ) $ill not, for the follo$ing reasons2

When, bet$een si- an& se%en years ago, ) $rote the &escri#tions of the%arious kin&s of fruit then in %ogue, ) naturally an& ine%itablyreflecte& the smallfruit $orl& as it then e-iste&. The #icture mayha%e been im#erfect an& &istorte&, but ) ga%e it as ) sa$ it. With allits faults ) $oul& like to kee# that #icture for future reference. Thetime may come $hen none of the %arieties then so highly #raise& an&%alue& $ill be foun& in our fiel&s or gar&ens. For that %ery reason )

shoul& like to look back to some fi-e& an& objecti%e #oint $hich $oul&enable me to estimate the mutations $hich ha& occurre&. =riginators ofne$ %arieties are a#t to s#eak too confi&ently an& e-ultantly of theirno%elties #urchasers are #rone to e-#ect too much of them. Both mightobtain useful lessons by turning to a recor& of eDually lau&e&no%elties of other &ays. Therefore ) $oul& like to lea%e that sketchof %arieties as seen in !AA6 unaltere&. To change the figure, therecor& may become a lan&mark, enabling us to estimate future #rogressmore accurately. Shoul& the book still meet $ith the fa%or $hich hasbeen accor&e& to it in the #ast, there can be freDuent re%isions ofthe su##lemental lists $hich are no$ gi%en. 3lthough no longer engage&in the business of raising an& selling #lants, ) ha%e not lost my

interest in the #lants themsel%es. ) ho#e to obtain much of myrecreation in testing the ne$ %arieties offere& from year to year. )nengaging in such #ursuits e%en the most cynical cannot sus#ect anyother #ur#ose than that of obser%ing im#artially the beha%ior of the%arieties on trial.

) $ill maintain my gras# on the buttonhole of the rea&er only longenough to state once more a #et theoryone $hich ) ho#e for leisureto test at some future time. Far be it from me to &ecry the&is#osition to raise ne$ see&ling %arieties by this coursesubstantial #rogress has been an& $ill be ma&e. But there is anothermetho& of a&%ance $hich may #romise e%en better results.

)n many of the catalogues of to&ay $e fin& many of the fine ol&%arieties s#oken of as enfeeble& an& fallen from their first estate.This is $hy they &ecline in #o#ular fa%or an& #ass into obli%ion.


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continue& selection, an ol& %ariety coul& be brought to a #oint ofe-cellence far sur#assing its #ristine con&ition, an& that the higheran& better strain $oul& become fi-e& an& uniform, unless it $as againtreate& $ith the neglect $hich formerly cause& the &eterioration. Bythis metho& of selection an& careful #ro#agation the #rimal %igorsho$n by the %arieties $hich justly become #o#ular may be but thestarting#oint on a career of $ell&oing that can scarcely be limite&.

)s it aske&, (Why is not this &one by #lantgro$ersC( *ou, my &earrea&er, may be one of the reasons. *ou may be rea&y to e-#en& e%en a&ollar a #lant for some unteste& an& #ossibly %alueless no%elty, an&yet be un$illing to gi%e a &ollar a hun&re& for the best stan&ar&%ariety in e-istence. )f ) ha& Wilsons #ro#agate& as ) ha%e &escribe&,an& aske& ten &ollars a thousan& for them, nine out of ten $oul& $riteback that they coul& buy the %ariety for t$o &ollars #er thousan&. Sothey coul& an& they, coul& also buy horses at ten &ollars each, an&no one coul& &eny that they $ere horses. =ne of the chief incenti%esof nurserymen to sen& out no%elties is that they may ha%e some #lantsfor sale on $hich they can make a #rofit. When the #eo#le are e&ucate&u# to the #oint of #aying for Duality in #lants an& trees as they are

in res#ect to li%estock, there $ill be careful an& ca#able men rea&yto su##ly the &eman&.

Beginning on #age H7/, the rea&er $ill fin& su##lemental bits of%arieties $hich ha%e a##eare& to me $orthy of mention at the #resenttime. ) may ha%e erre& in my selection of the ne$er can&i&ates forfa%or, an& ha%e gi%en some un$arrante& im#ressions in regar& to them.S T=SE =F TE F)E


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"3PTER )

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other. )n e%ery fiel& of life those $ho seek the fruit too rashly arealmost sure to ha%e a thorny e-#erience, an& to learn that #rickingsare #ro%i&e& for those $ho ha%e no consciences.

e $ho sees in the $orl& aroun& him only $hat strikes the eye li%es ina #oor, halffurnishe& house he $ho obtains from his gar&en only $hathe can eat gathers but a meagre cro#. )f ) fin& something besi&es

berries on my %ines, ) shall #ick it if so incline&. The scientifictreatise, or #recise manual, may break u# the $ellroote& frien&shi#of #lants, an& com#el them to take lea%e of each other, after thearbitrary fashion of metho&ical min&s, but ) must talk about them %erymuch as nature has taught me, since, in res#ect to outof&oor life,my e&ucation $as acDuire& almost $holly in the ol&fashione& $ay atthe %enerable (&ames school.( ;ay more, ) claim that ) ha%e $arrantto gather from my horticultural te-ts more than can be sent to the&ining table or commission merchant. Such a matteroffact #lant asthe currant makes some attem#t to embroi&er its humble life $ithornament, an& in 3#ril the bees $ill #ro%e to you that honey may begathere& e%en from a gooseberry bush. )n&ee&, gooseberries are like

some la&ies that $e all kno$. )n their young an& blossoming &ays theyare s$eet an& #inkhue&, an& then they gro$ aci&, #ale, an& har& butin the ri#ening e-#erience of later life they become s$eet again an&ten&er. Before they &ro# from their #laces the bees come back forhoney, an& fin& it.

)n brief, ) #ro#ose to take the rea&er on a Duiet an& e-ten&e& rambleamong the small fruits. )t is much the same as if ) sai&, (


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Sa%annah, Ga, an& se%eral #oints in Flori&a. Thus, from actualobser%ation an& full, free con%ersation, ) ha%e familiarie& myself$ith both the ;orthern an& Southern as#ects of this in&ustry, $hile mycorres#on&ence from the far West, South$est, an& "alifornia $ill, )ho#e, enable me to ai& the no%ice in those regions also.

) kno$ in a&%ance that my book $ill contain many an& %arie& faults,

but ) inten& that it shall be an e-#ression of honest o#inion. ) &onot like (fo-y gra#es( nor fo-y $or&s about them.

"3PTER ))

TE FR>)T G3R'E;

JRaison &etreJ

Small fruits, to #eo#le $ho li%e in the country, are like hea%enobjects of uni%ersal &esire an& %ery general neglect. )n&ee&, in alan& so #eculiarly a&a#te& to their culti%ation, it is &ifficult toaccount for this neglect if you a&mit the #remise that 3mericans areci%ilie& an& intellectual. )t is the trait of a sa%age an& inferiorrace to &e%our .$ith immense gusto a &elicious morsel, an& then trustto luck for another. Peo#le $ho $oul& turn a$ay from a &ish of(@onarch( stra$berries, $ith their #lum# #ink cheeks #o$&ere& $ithsugar, or from a #late of melting ras#berries an& cream, $oul& beregar&e& as so eccentric as to suggest an asylum but the number of#rofesse&ly intelligent an& moral folk $ho ignore the sim#le means of

enjoying the ambrosial %ian&s &aily, for $eeks together, is so largeas to shake ones confi&ence in human nature. 3 $ellmaintaine& fruitgar&en is a com#arati%ely rare a&junct of e%en stylish an& #retentioushomes. )n 4une, of all months, in sultry 4uly an& 3ugust, there arisesfrom innumerable country breakfast tables the #ungent o&or of a meatinto $hich the &e%ils $ent but out of $hich there is no #roof theye%er came. From the gar&en un&er the $in&o$s might ha%e been gathere&fruits $hose aroma $oul& ha%e tem#te& s#irits of the air. The cabbage#atch may be seen afar, but too often the stra$berrybe& e%en if ite-ists is hi&&en by $ee&s, an& the later small fruits struggle forbare life in some neglecte& corner. )n&ee&, an e-cursion into certain#arts of e$ Englan& might suggest that many of its thrifty citiens

$oul& not ha%e been content in E&en until they ha& #ut its best lan&into onions an& tobacco. Through the su#erb scenery of ermont thereflo$s a ri%er $hose name, one might think, $oul& secure an unfailingti&e from the eyes of the inhabitants. The 3l#ine stra$berry gro$s$il& in all that region, but the #uritan smacke& his li#s o%er anothergift of nature an& name& the romantic stream in its honor. To accountfor certain tastes or ten&encies, mankin& must certainly ha%e fallen alittle $ay, or, if @r. 'ar$ins %ie$ is correct, an& $e are on aslight u#gra&e, a &rea&ful hitch an& ten&ency to backsli&e has beena##arent at a certain #oint e%er since the ebre$s sighe& for the(leeks an& onions of Egy#t.(

=f course, there is little ho#e for the rural soul that (loathes( thelight manna of small fruits. We must lea%e it to e%olution for another


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the main has reache& a #oint $here its internal organs highly a##ro%eof the &elicious grou# of fruits that straye& out of Para&ise, an&ha%e not yet lost themsel%es among the (thorns an& thistles.( )n&ee&,mo&ern skillthe alchemy of our agehas $rought such $on&ers thatE&en is #ossible again to all $ho $ill take the trouble to form E&enlike tastes an& ca#acities.

The number $ho are &oing this is increasing e%ery year, The large&eman& for literature relating to outof&oor life, horticulturaljournals, like the fruits of $hich they treat, flourishing in regionsne$ an& remote, are #roof of this. The business of su##lying fruittrees, #lants, an& e%en flo$ers, is becoming a %ast in&ustry. ) ha%ebeen informe& that one enter#rising firm annually s#en&s thousan&s ina&%ertising roses only.

But $hile $e $elcome the e%i&ences that so many are ceasing to bebucolic heathen, much obser%ation has sho$n that the nee& of furtherenlightenment is large in&ee&. )t is &e#ressing to think of the numberof homes about $hich fruits are cons#icuous only by their absence

homes of e%ery class, from the laborers cottage an& #ioneers cabinto the suburban #alace.


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year. The i&ea of going out of their rural #ara&ises to buy halfstalefruit1 But this class is largely at the mercy of the (hire& man,( orhis more &isagreeable &e%elo#ment, the #retentious smatterer, $ho, sofar from #ossessing the kno$le&ge that the English, Scotch, or Germangar&eners acDuire in their long, thorough training, is a com#oun& ofignorance an& #reju&ice. To hi&e his barrenness of min& he gi%es hissoul to rare #lants, cli##e& la$ns, but stints the family in all

things sa%e his im#u&ence. )f he tells his obseDuious em#loyers thatit is easier an& chea#er to buy their fruit than to raise it, ofcourse there is naught to &o but go to the market an& #ick u# $hatthey can an& yet 'r. Thurber says, $ith a %ast &eal of force, that(the unfortunate #eo#le $ho buy their fruit &o not kno$ $hat astra$berry is.(

)n all truth an& soberness it is a mar%el an& a shame that so manysane #eo#le $ho #rofess to ha%e #asse& beyon& the habits of the$il&erness $ill not gi%e the attention reDuire& by these une-actingfruits. The man $ho has learne& to $rite his name can learn to raisethem successfully. The la&ies $ho kno$ ho$ to kee# their homes neat

through the labors of their (intelligent hel#,( coul& also learn tomanage a fruit gar&en e%en though em#loying the stu#i&est oaf thate%er blun&ere& through life. The metho& is this2 First learn ho$yourself, an& then let your laborer thoroughly un&erstan& that he getsno $ages unless he &oes as he is tol&. )n the com#licate& &etails of a#lant farm there is much that nee&s constant su#er%ision, but the $orkof an or&inary fruit gar&en is, in the main, straightfor$ar& an&sim#le. The e-#en&iture of a little time, money, an&, abo%e allthings, of seasonable labor, is so abun&antly re#ai& that one $oul&think that bare selfinterest $oul& sol%e in%ariably the sim#le#roblem of su##ly.

3s mere articles of foo&, these fruits are e-cee&ingly %aluable. Theyare ca#able of sustaining se%ere an& continue& labor. For monthstogether $e might become almost in&e#en&ent of butcher an& &octor if$e ma&e our #laces #ro&uce all that nature #ermits. Pur#le gra#es $illhi&e unsightly buil&ings currants, ras#berries, an& blackberries $illgro$ along the fences an& in the corners that are left to bur&ocks an&brambles. ) ha%e kno$n in%ali&s to im#ro%e from the first &ay thatberries $ere brought to the table, an& thousan&s $oul& e-change theirsallo$ com#le-ions, sick hea&aches, an& general ennui for a breeyinterest in life an& its aboun&ing #leasures, if they $oul& only takenatures #al#able hint, an& enjoy the seasonable foo& she #ro%i&es.Belles can fin& better cosmetics in the fruit gar&en than on their

toilet tables, an& she $ho #aints her cheeks $ith the #ure, healthfulbloo& that is ma&e from natures choicest gifts, an& the e-ercise ofgathering them, can gi%e her lo%er a kiss that $ill make him $ish foranother.

The famous 'r. osack, of ;e$ *ork "ity, $ho atten&e& 3le-an&eramilton after he recei%e& his fatal $oun& from Burr, $as anenthusiast on the subject of fruits. )t $as his custom to terminatehis s#ring course of lectures $ith a stra$berry festi%al. () must letthe class see,( he sai&, (that $e are #ractical as $ell astheoretical.


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=ne of the sa& features of our time is the ten&ency of young #eo#le tolea%e their country homes. 3n& too often one &oes not nee& to look farfor the reason.


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the year, an& the richer #leasure e%en of culti%ating an& gatheringthem, may become one of the chief contributions to this result. ) usethe $or&s (eight months( a&%ise&ly, for e%en no$, 4anuary 5/, $e areenjoying gra#es that $ere burie& in the groun& last =ctober. ) su##osemy chil&ren are %ery material an& unlike the goo& little #eo#le $ho &onot li%e long, but they #lace a $hite mark against the &ays on $hich$e unearth a jar of gra#es.

"3PTER )))

S@3)T F3R@);G 3;' )TS PR=F)TS

3 farm $ithout a fruit gar&en may justly be regar&e& as #roof of a lo$state of ci%iliation in the farmer. ;o country home shoul& be $ithoutsuch sim#le means of health an& ha##iness. For ob%ious reasons,

ho$e%er, there is not, an& ne%er can be, the same room for fruitraising as there is for grain, grass, an& stock farming. ;e%ertheless,the o##ortunities to engage $ith #rofit in this in&ustry on a largescale are increasing e%ery year. From being a lu-ury of a fe$, thesmall fruits ha%e become an article of &aily foo& to the million. E%enthe country %illage must ha%e its su##ly, an& the number of cratesthat are shi##e& from ;e$ *ork city to neighboring to$ns isastonishingly large. 3s an illustration of the ra#i&ly enlarging&eman& for these fruits, let us consi&er the e-#erience of one Westerncity, "incinnati. @r. W. . "orbly, $ho is there regar&e& as one ofthe best informe& on these subjects, has gathere& the follo$ingstatistics2 ()n !AHI it $as regar&e& as a most $on&erful thing that

!66 bushels of stra$berries coul& be &is#ose& of on the "incinnatimarket in one &ay, an& $as commente& on as a great e%ent. 3 closeestimate sho$s that &uring the summer of !A0/ eighty to eightyfi%ethousan& bushels of stra$berries $ere sol& in "incinnati. =f course, alarge #art of these berries $ere shi##e& a$ay, but it is estimate&that nearly one half $ere consume& here. 3bout the year !AHA theculti%ation of black ras#berries $as commence& in this county by 4amesGallagher an& F. 3. @c"ormick of Salem, 3n&erson to$nshi#. The firstyear, Gallaghers largest shi#ment in one &ay $as si- bushels, an&@c"ormicks four. When they $ere #lace& on the market, @c"ormick sol&out at 9 !7 cents #er Duart, an& Gallagher hel& off till @c"ormickha& sol& out, $hen he #ut his on sale an& obtaine& A !A cents #er

Duart, an& the &eman& $as fully su##lie&. )t is estimate& that thecro# for the year !A0/, han&le& in "incinnati, amounte& to fromse%entyfi%e thousan& to eighty thousan& bushelsthe cro# being afairly goo& oneselling at an a%erage of about t$o &ollars #erbushel.( )t has been state& in (The "ountry Gentleman( that aboutMI,666,666 $orth of small fruits $ere sol& in @ichigan in one yearan& the same authority estimates that M5I,666,666 $orth are consume&annually in ;e$ *ork city. )n the future it $oul& seem that this&eman& $oul& increase e%en more ra#i&ly for in e%ery fruitgro$ingregion immense canning establishments are coming into e-istence, to$hich the markets of the $orl& are o#en. Therefore, in a&&ition to thethousan&s alrea&y embarke& in this in&ustry, still larger numbers $ill

engage in it &uring the ne-t fe$ years.

Those $ho no$ for the first time are turning their attention to$ar&


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consists of establishe& farmers, $ho, fin&ing markets $ithin theirreach, e-ten& their #atches of ras#berries, currants, or stra$berriesto such a &egree that they ha%e a sur#lus to sell. To the e-tent thatsuch sales are remunerati%e, they increase the area of fruits, untilin many instances they become %irtually fruit farmers. @ore often afe$ acres are &e%ote& to horticulture, an& the rest of the farm iscarrie& on in the ol& $ay.

The secon& class is ma&e u# chiefly of those $ho are unfamiliar $iththe soil an& its culturemechanics, #rofessional men, $ho ho#e toregain health by coming back to nature, an& citiens $hose illsuccessor instincts suggest country life an& labors. From both these classes,an& es#ecially from the latter, ) recei%e %ery many letters,containing all kin&s of Duestions. The chief bur&en on most min&s,ho$e%er, is summe& u# in the $or&s, ('o small fruits #ayC( To meet thenee&s of these t$o classes is one of the great aims of this $ork an&it is my most earnest $ish not to mislea& by highcolore& #ictures.

Small fruits #ay many #eo#le $ell an& unless location, soil, or

climate is ho#elessly against one, the &egree of #rofit $ill &e#en&chiefly u#on his skill, ju&gment an& in&ustry. The raising of smallfruits is like other callings, in $hich some are getting rich, moreearning a fair li%elihoo&, an& not a fe$ failing. )t is a business in$hich there is an abun&ance of shar#, keen com#etition an& ignorance,#oor ju&gment, an& shiftless, i&le $ays $ill be as fatal as in the$orksho#, store, or office.

)nnumerable failures result from ine-#erience. ) $ill gi%e one e-tremee-am#le, $hich may ser%e to illustrate, the sanguine mental con&itionof many $ho rea& of large returns in fruit culture. 3 young man $hoha& inherite& a fe$ hun&re& &ollars $rote me that he coul& hire a

#iece of lan& for a certain amount, an& he $ishe& to in%est thebalancee%ery centin #lants, thus lea%ing himself no ca#ital $ith$hich to continue o#erations, but e-#ecting that a s#ee&y cro# $oul&lift him at once into a #ros#erous career. ) $rote that un&er thecircumstances ) coul& not su##ly himthat it $oul& be about the sameas robbery to &o so an& a&%ise& him to s#en& se%eral years $ith a#ractical an& successful fruit gro$er an& learn the business.

@ost #eo#le enter u#on this calling in the form of a $e&ge but onlytoo many commence at the blunt en&, in%esting largely at once ine%erything, an& therefore their business soon ta#ers &o$n to nothing.The $ise begin at the #oint of the $e&ge an& &e%elo# their calling

naturally, healthfullylearning, by e-#erience an& carefulobser%ation, ho$ to gro$ fruits #rofitably, an& $hich kin&s #ay thebest. There ought also to be consi&erable ca#ital to start $ith, an&an absence of the crushing bur&en of interest money. ;o fruits yiel&any returns before the secon& or thir& year an& there are often>nfa%orable seasons an& glutte& markets. ;atures #ries are $on by#atient, #ersistent in&ustry, an& not by Wall Street sleight of han&.


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large returns an&, take the country o%er, the most successful fruitfarms seem to be locate& $here li%e men li%e an& $ork. Still, if one$ere about to #urchase, soun& ju&gment $oul& suggest a %ery carefulchoice of locality $ith s#ee&y access to goo& markets. @r. 4. 4.Thomas, e&itor of (The "ountry Gentleman,( in a #a#er u#on the =utlookof Fruit "ulture, rea& before the Western ;. *. orticulturalSociety, lai& &o$n three essentials to success2 !.


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$ilfully or blun&eringly.

@r. Peter en&erson, $ho has been engage& #ractically in %egetablegar&ening for o%er a Duarter of a century, states, as a result of hise-#erience, that ca#ital, at the rate of MH66 #er acre, is reDuire& instarting a (truck farm,( an& that the great majority fail $ho make theattem#t $ith less means. )n my o#inion, the fruit farmer $oul& reDuire

ca#ital in like #ro#ortion for, $hile many of the small fruits can begro$n $ith less #re#aration of soil an& outlay in manure, the returnscome more slo$ly, since, $ith the e-ce#tion of stra$berries, none ofthem yiel& a full cro# until the thir& or fourth year. ) a&%ise mosturgently against the incurring of hea%y &ebts. Better begin $ith threeacres than thirty, or three hun&re&, from $hich a large sum ofinterest money must be obtaine& before a #enny can be use& for other#ur#oses. 3nything can be raise& from a farm easier than a mortgage.

Success &e#en&s %ery largely, also, on the character of the soil. )fit is so high an& &ry as to suffer se%erely from &rought t$o years outof three, it cannot be ma&e to #ay e-ce#t by irrigation if so lo$ as

to be $et, rather than moist, the #ros#ects are but little better.Those $ho are #ermanently settle& must &o their best $ith such lan& asthey ha%e, an& in a later cha#ter ) shall suggest ho$ &iffering soilsshoul& be manage&. To those $ho can still choose their location, )$oul& recommen& a &ee# mello$ loam, $ith a rather com#act subsoil,moist, but ca#able of thorough &rainage. 'i%ersity of soil an&e-#osure offer #eculiar a&%antages also. Some fruits thri%e best in astiff clay, others in san&y u#lan&. Early %arieties ri#en earlier on asunny slo#e, $hile a late kin& is ren&ere& later on a northernhillsi&e, or in the #artial sha&e of a gro%e. )n treating each fruitan& %ariety, ) shall try to in&icate the soils an& e-#osures to $hichthey are best a&a#te&.

JProfitsJ.The rea&er $ill naturally $ish for some &efinitestatements of the #rofits of fruit farming but ) almost hesitate tocom#ly $ith this &esire. 3 gentleman $rote to me that he sol& from anacre of "uthbert ras#berries MA66 $orth of fruit. )n %ie$ of thisfact, not a fe$ $ill sit &o$n an& begin to figure,()f one acreyiel&e& MA66, ten acres $oul& #ro&uce MA,666 t$enty acres M!9,666,(etc. @ultitu&es ha%e been le& into trouble by this kin& of reasoning.The ca#acity of an engine $ith a gi%en motor #o$er can be measure&,an& certain an& un%arying results #re&icte& but $ho can measure theresources of an acre through %arying seasons an& un&er &ifferingculture, or foretell the #rice of the cro#sC )n estimating future

#rofits, $e can only a##ro-imate an& the follo$ing recor&s are gi%enmerely to sho$ $hat results ha%e been secure&, an& therefore may beobtaine& again, an& e%en sur#asse&. (The "ountry Gentleman( gi%es a$ellauthenticate& instance of a fruit gro$er $ho (recei%e& more thanM5,666 from three acres of stra$berries.( )n contrast, ho$e%er, itcoul& be sho$n that many fiel&s ha%e not #ai& e-#enses. ) once ha&such an e-#erience. The market $as (glutte&,( an& the %ariety yiel&e&berries so small an& #oor that they &i& not a%erage fi%e cents #erDuart. =ccasionally $e hear of immense shi#ments from the South beingthro$n into the &ock.

@r. William Parry, a %eteran fruit gro$er in ;e$ 4ersey, states thetruth ) $ish to con%ey %ery clearly, an& gi%es a fair mean bet$eenthese t$o e-tremes2


19/202

(*)Elster "o., ;.*., state& that 566 bushes of the "herrycurrant yiel&e& him in one season !,666 lbs. of fruit, $hich $as sol&at an a%erage of eight cents #er #oun&. is gross recei#ts $ere MA6from onefourteenth of an acre, an& at the same ratio an acre $oul&

ha%e yiel&e& M!,!56. )s this an a%erage yiel&C So far from it, thereare many acres of currants an& gooseberries that &o not #ay e-#enses.Thus it can be seen that the scale ranges from mar%ellous #ries &o$nto blanks an& hea%y losses but the &ra$ing is not a game of chance,but usually the result of skill an& in&ustry, or their re%erse.

) might ha%e gi%en many e-am#les of large, an& e%en enormously large,#rofits obtaine& un&er e-ce#tional circumstances but they ten& tomislea&. ) $rite for those $hose hearts #rom#t them to co$ork $ithnature, an& $ho are most ha##y $hen &oing her bi&&ing in the breeyfiel&s an& gar&ens, content $ith fair re$ar&s, instea& of beingconsume& by the gamblers gree& for unearne& gol&. 3t the same time, )

am &eci&e&ly in fa%or of high culture, an& the most generous enrichingof the soil con%ince& that fruit gro$ers an& farmers in general $oul&make far more money if they s#ent u#on one acre $hat they usually


20/202

e-#en&iture of MHI6 #er acre on stra$berry lan&, an& the net #rofitsobtaine& $ere #ro#ortionately large.

"3PTER )

STR3WBERR)ES2 TE F)E SPE")ES 3;' TE)R )ST=R*

The conscientious 'ie&rich ?nickerbocker, that %enerate& historianfrom $hom all goo& citiens of ;e$ *ork obtain the first im#ressionsof their ancestry, felt that he ha& no right to chronicle the%icissitu&es of @anhattan )slan& until he ha& first accounte& for theuni%erse of $hich it is a #art. EDually $ith the im#ortant bit of lan&name&, the stra$berry belongs to the e-isting cosmos, an& might betrace& back to (ol& chaos.( ) hasten to reassure the &ismaye& rea&er.) shall not #resume to follo$ one $ho coul& illumine his #age $ith

genius, an& $hose e-tensi%e learning enable& him to account for theuni%erse not merely in one but in half a &oen $ays.

)t is the ten&ency of the #resent age to ask $hat is, not $hat hasbeen or shall be. 3n& yet, on the #art of some, as they &eliberatelyenjoy a saucer of stra$berries an& cream,it is a #leasure that $e#rolong for ob%ious reasons,a langui& curiosity may arise as to theorigin an& history of so &elicious a fruit. ) su##ose @r. 'ar$in $oul&say, (it $as e%ol%e&.( But some s#ecimens bet$een our li#s suggestthat a Gene%a $atch coul& #ut itself together Duite as rea&ily. 3t thesame time, it must be sai& that our (ru&e forefathers( &i& not eat@onarch or "harles 'o$ning stra$berries. )n fe$ fruits, #robably, ha%e

there been such %ast changes or im#ro%ements as in this. Therefore, )shall ans$er briefly an& as $ell as ) can, in %ie$ of the meagre &ataan& conflicting o#inions of the authorities, the curiosity, that )ha%e imagine& on some faces. Those $ho care only for the stra$berry ofto&ay can easily ski# a fe$ #ages.

)f there $ere as much &oubt about a cro# of this fruit as concerningthe origin of its name, the outlook $oul& be &ismal, in&ee&. )n ol&Sa-on, the $or& $as strea$berige or streo$berrie an& $as so name&,says one authority, (from the stra$like stems of the #lant, or fromthe berries lying stre$n u#on the groun&.( 3nother authority tells us2()t is an ol& English #ractice( Nlet us ho#e a mo&ern one alsoO (to

lay stra$ bet$een the ro$s to #reser%e the fruit from rotting on the$et groun&, from $hich the name has been su##ose& to be &eri%e&although more #robably it is from the $an&ering habit of the #lant,stra$ being a corru#tion of the 3ngloSa-on strae, from $hich $e ha%ethe English %erb stray.( 3gain tra&ition asserts that in the ol&entimes chil&ren strung the berries on stra$s for sale, an& hence thename. Se%eral other causes ha%e been suggeste&, but ) forbear. ) ha%ene%er kno$n, ho$e%er, a #erson to &ecline the fruit on the groun& ofthis obscurity an& &oubt. N"ontro%ersialists an& sce#tics #lease takenote.O

That the stra$berry shoul& belong to the rose family, an& that its

botanical name shoul& be fragaria, from the


21/202

hillsi&e an& fiel& N$oul& that ) might say, to e%ery gar&en1O, thereis a #eculiarity in the #ro&uction of the fruit $hich shoul& not #assunnote&. Strictly s#eaking, the small see&s scattere& o%er the surfaceof the berry are the fruit, an& it is to #erfect these see&s that the#lants blossom, the stamens scatter, an& the #istils recei%e the#ollen on the con%e- rece#tacle, $hich, as the see&s ri#en, greatlyenlarges, an& becomes the #ul#y an& &elicious mass that is #o#ularly

regar&e& as the fruit. So far from being the fruit, it is only (themuch altere& en& of the stem( that sustains the fruit or see&s an& soit becomes a beautiful illustration of a kin&ly, genuine courtesy,$hich ren&ers an or&inary ser%ice $ith so much grace an& graciousnessthat $e &$ell on the manner $ith far more #leasure than on the ser%iceitself. The innumerable %arieties of stra$berries that are no$ ine-istence a##ear, either in their character or origin, to belong tofi%e great an& Duite &istinct s#ecies. The first, an& for a long timethe only one of $hich $e ha%e any recor&, is the Fragaria %esca, orthe (3l#ine( stra$berry. )t is one of the most $i&ely s#rea& fruits ofthe $orl&, for it gro$s, an& for centuries has gro$n, $il& throughout;orthern an& "entral Euro#e an& 3sia, follo$ing the mountains far to

the south an& on this continent, from time immemorial, the )n&ianchil&ren ha%e gathere& it, from the ;orthern 3tlantic to the Pacific.)n Englan& this s#ecies e-hibits some %ariation from the 3l#ine ty#e,an& $as calle& by our ancestors the Woo& stra$berry. The chief&ifference bet$een the t$o is in the form of the fruit, the Woo&%arieties being roun& an& the 3l#ine conical. They are also sub&i%i&e&into $hite an& re&, annual an& monthly %arieties, an& those that#ro&uce no runners, $hich are kno$n to&ay as Bush 3l#ines.

8)llustration2 SEE'S 3;' P>


22/202

Richar& ))). $as an unconscious but remarkable illustration of thesecon& line alrea&y Duote& from irgil2

(


23/202

3s many re& herrings as gre$ in the $oo&.(

The ambrosial combination of stra$berries an& cream $as first name& bySir Phili# Si&ney. =l& Thomas Tusser, of the !9th century, in his$ork, (Fi%e un&re& Points of Goo& usban&ry unite& to as many of Goo&ouse$ifery,( turns the stra$berry Duestion o%er to his $ife, an&&oubtless it $as in better han&s than his, if his metho&s of culture

$ere as ru&e as his #oetry2

(Wife, into the gar&en, an& set me a #lot With stra$berry roots, of the best to be got Such, gro$ing abroa&, among thorns in the $oo&, Well chosen an& #icke& #ro%e e-cellent goo&.(

Who ('r. Boteler( $as, or $hat he &i&, is unkno$n, but he ma&e asententious remark $hich le& )aak Walton to gi%e him immortality inhis $ork, (The "om#leat 3ngler.( ()n&ee&, my goo& schollar,( theserene )aak $rites, ($e may say of angling as 'r. Boteler sai& ofstra$berries, 'oubtless Go& coul& ha%e ma&e a better berry, but

&oubtless Go& ne%er &i& an& so if ) might be ju&ge, Go& ne%er &i&make a more calm, Duiet, innocent recreation than angling.( )f this$as true of the $il& Woo& stra$berry, ho$ much more so of many of ouraromatic rubies of to&ay.

4ohn Parkinson, the a#othecarygar&ener of


24/202

the intro&uction of other s#ecies more ca#able of %ariation an&im#ro%ement. Still, attem#ts $ere ma&e from time to time. 3s the3l#ine &iffere& some$hat from the Woo& stra$berry, they $ere broughtto Englan& about 566 years later than the trage&y of


25/202

fi%e years ago, an&, in our o$n time, of the su#erb %arieties, @onarchof the West, Seth Boy&en, "harles 'o$ning, an& Shar#less.

3s in the 3l#ine s#ecies there are t$o &istinct strains,the 3l#ineof the "ontinent, an& the Woo& stra$berry of Englan&,so in the $il&irginian s#ecies there are t$o branches of the family,the Easternan& the Western. The &ifferences are so marke& that some $riters ha%e

asserte& that there are t$o s#ecies but $e ha%e the authority ofProfessor Gray for saying that the Western, or Fragaria )llincensis,is (#erha#s( a &istinct s#ecies, an& he classifies it as only a %erymarke& %ariety.

There are but t$o more s#ecies of the stra$berry genus. =f the firstof these, the Fragaria )n&ica, or ()n&ian( stra$berry, there is littleto say. )t is a nati%e of ;orthern )n&ia, an& &iffers so much from theother s#ecies that it $as formerly name& as a &istinct genus. )t hasyello$ flo$ers, an& is a sho$y house#lant, es#ecially for $in&o$baskets, but the fruit is &ry an& tasteless. )t is sai& by ProfessorGray to ha%e esca#e& culti%ation an& become $il& in some localities of

this country.

Fragaria "hilensis is the last great s#ecies or sub&i%ision that $eno$ ha%e to consi&er.


26/202

)f $e may ju&ge from the characteristics of the %arieties im#orte& tothis country of late years, the South 3merican s#ecies has taken thelea& &eci&e&ly abroa&, an& has become the #arent stock from $hichforeign culturists, in the main, are seeking to &e%elo# the i&ealstra$berry. But in all its transformations, an& after all the attem#tsto infuse into it the stur&ier life of the irginian stra$berry, it

still remembers its birth#lace, an& falters an& often &ies in these%ere col& of our $inters, or, $hat is still $orse, the heat an&&rought of our summers. 3s a s#ecies, it reDuires the high an& carefulculture that they are able an& $illing to gi%e it in Euro#e. Themajority of im#orte& %arieties ha%e faile& in the >nite& States, but afe$ ha%e become justly #o#ular in regions $here they can be gro$n. TheTriom#he &e Gan& may be gi%en as an e-am#le, an& $ere ) restricte& toone %ariety ) shoul& take this. The 4ucun&a, also, is one of the mostsu#erb berries in e-istence an& can be gro$n $ith great #rofit inmany localities.

Thus the t$o great s#ecies $hich to&ay are furnishing ninetynine

hun&re&ths of the stra$berries of commerce an& of the gar&en, both inthis country an& abroa&, came from 3merica, the Fragaria "hilensisreaching our Eastern States by the $ay of Euro#e, an& in the form ofthe im#ro%e& an& culti%ate& %arieties that ha%e $on a name abroa&. Weare crossing the im#ortations $ith our o$n nati%e stock. Presi&entWil&ers su#erb see&ling, $hich has recei%e& his name, is an e-am#leof this blen&ing #rocess. This berry is a chil& of the


27/202

stra$berries that $ill gro$ almost any$here, an& un&er anycircumstances, an& there is another class that &eman&s the best groun&an& culture. But from the soil of a goo& gar&en, $ith a little #ains,$e can obtain the finest fruit in e-istence an& there is no occasionto #lant those kin&s $hich are gro$n for market solely because theyare #ro&ucti%e, an& har& enough to en&ure carriage for a long&istance. The only trans#ortation to be consi&ere& is from the gar&en

to the table, an& therefore $e can make table Dualities our chiefconcern. )f our soil is light an& san&y, $e can raise successfully oneclass of choice, highfla%ore& %arieties if hea%y, another class.@any $orry o%er a forlorn, $ee&y be& of some inferior %ariety thatscarcely gi%es a $eeks su##ly, $hen, $ith no more trouble than isreDuire& to obtain a cro# of celery, large, &elicious berries might beenjoye& &aily, for si- $eeks together, from t$enty &ifferent kin&s.

The stra$berry of commerce is a much more &ifficult #roblem. The#resent unsatisfactory con&ition of affairs $as a&mirably e-#resse& inthe follo$ing e&itorial in the (E%ening Post( of 4une !5, !A09, fromthe #en of the late William "ullen Bryant2

STR3WBERR)ES ()n general, an im#ro%ement has been obser%e& of late inthe Duality of fruit. We ha%e more an& finer %arieties of a##le the#ear is much better in general than it $as ten years since of thegra#e there are many ne$ an& e-cellent %arieties $hich the market kne$nothing of a fe$ years ago, an& there are some e-cellent %arieties ofthe ras#berry lately intro&uce&. But the stra$berry has &eci&e&ly&eteriorate&, an& the result is o$ing to the general culture ofWilsons 3lbany for the market. Wilsons 3lbany is a sour, cru&eberry, $hich is not fully ri#e $hen it is #erfectly re&, an& e%en $hen#erfectly ri#e is still too aci&. When it first makes its a##earancein the market, it has an e-cee&ingly harsh fla%or an& %ery little of

the agreeable aroma $hich &istinguishes the finer kin&s of the berry.)f not eaten %ery s#aringly, it &isagrees $ith the stomach, an& you$ake $ith a colic the ne-t morning. Before Wilsons stra$berry cameinto %ogue there $ere many other kin&s $hich $ere s$eeter an& of amore agreeable fla%or. But the Wilson is a har& berry, $hich bearstrans#ortation $ell it is e-cee&ingly #rolific an& altogether har&y,Dualities $hich gi%e it great fa%or $ith the culti%ator, but for$hich the consumer suffers. The #ro#er $ay of &ealing in stra$berriesis to fi- the #rices accor&ing to the Duality of the sort. This is the$ay they &o in the markets of Paris. 3 #oor sort, although the berrymay be large, is sol& chea# the more &elicate kin&sthe s$eet,juicy, an& highfla%ore&are &is#ose& of at a higher #rice. ere the

Wilson shoul& be sol& the chea#est of all, $hile such as the 4ucun&aan& the Presi&ent Wil&er shoul& bear a #rice corres#on&ing to theire-cellence. We ho#e, for our #art, that the Wilsons $ill, as soon astheir #lace can be su##lie& by a better berry, be banishe& from themarket. )t can surely be no &ifficult thing to obtain a sort bycrossing, $hich shall bear trans#ortation eDually $ell, an& shall not&ecei%e the #urchaser $ith the a##earance of ri#eness.(

The rea&er $ill #ercei%e that @r. Bryant has #ortraye& both the e%ilan& the reme&y. The #ublic justly com#lains of the stra$berry ofcommerce, but it has not follo$e& the suggestion in the e&itorial an&&eman&e& a better article, e%en though it must be furnishe& at a

higher #rice.

)n s#ite, ho$e%er, of all that is sai& an& $ritten annually against


28/202

Those $ho resi&e near the city an& can make, to some e-tent, s#ecialarrangements $ith enlightene& customers, fin& other %arieties more#rofitable, e%en though the yiel& from them is less an& some are lostfrom lack of kee#ing Dualities. But those $ho sen& from a consi&erable&istance, an& must take their chances in the general market, #ersistin raising the (sour, cru&e berry,( $hich is re& before it is ri#e,an& har& enough to stan& the rough usage $hich it is almost certain to

recei%e from the han&s through $hich it #asses. ) &o not e-#ect to seethe &ay $hen the Wilson, or some berry like it, is not the sta#lesu##ly of the market although ) ho#e an& think it $ill be im#ro%e&u#on. But let it be un&erstoo& generally that they are (Wilsons,(thechea# %in or&inaire of stra$berries. "ities $ill e%er be floo&e& $ith%arieties that anybo&y can gro$ un&er almost any kin& of culture an&no &oubt it is better that there shoul& be an abun&ance of such fruitrather than none at all. But a &elicately organie& man, like @r.Bryant, cannot eat them an& those $ho ha%e enjoye& the genuinestra$berries of the gar&en $ill not. The number of #eo#le, ho$e%er,$ith the &igestion of an ostrich, is enormous, an& in multitu&es ofhomes Wilsons, e%en $hen halfri#e, musty, an& stale, are &e%oure&

$ith unalloye& &elight, un&er the illusion that they are stra$berries.

)f genuine stra$berries are $ante&, the #urchaser must &eman& them,#ay for them, an& refuse (sour, cru&e berries.( The reme&y is solelyin the han&s of the consumers.

)f #eo#le $oul& #ay no more for Seckel than for "hoke #ears, "hoke#ears $oul& be the only ones in market, for they can be furnishe& $iththe least cost an& trouble. )t is the lack of &iscrimination thatlea%es our markets so bare of finefla%ore& fruit. What the gro$er an&the grocer are seeking is a har& berry, $hich, if not sol& s#ee&ily,$ill (kee# o%er.(


29/202

$ith those o%er $hom the $il& stra$berry is no$ gro$ing. We $ill a&mitno fault in it, an& although $e may no longer seek for this fa%oritefruit of our chil&hoo&, $ith the finest s#ecimens of the gar&en beforeus $e sigh for those berries that gre$ on some faroff hillsi&e inyears still farther a$ay.

"3PTER )

"=)"E =F S=)< 3;'


30/202

Shall the fact that $e ha%e no such soil, an& cannot obtain it,&iscourage usC ;ot at all1 There are choice %arieties that $ill gro$in the e-tremes of san& or clay. @ore effort $ill be reDuire&, butskill an& information can still secure success an& a&%antages oflocation, climate, an& nearness to goo& markets may more thancounterbalance natural &eficiencies in the lan&. Besi&es, there is

almost as soli& a satisfaction in transforming a bit of the $il&ernessinto a gar&en as in reforming an& e&ucating a cru&e or e%il s#ecimenof humanity. Therefore if one fin&s himself in an unfa%orable climate,an& shut u# to the choice of lan& the re%erse of a &ee#, moist, san&yloam, let him #it his brain an& muscle against all obstacles.

)f the Duestion $ere aske&, ()s there anything that comes from thegar&en better like& than a &ish of stra$berriesC( in nine instancesout of ten the ans$er $oul& be, (;othing,( e%en though sour Wilsons$ere gro$n an& yet, too often the be& is in a neglecte& corner an&half sha&e& by trees, $hile stronggro$ing %egetables occu#y themoist, o#en s#aces. )t is har&ly rational to #ut the fa%orite of the

gar&en $here, at best, a #artial failure is certain.


31/202

a%ing from choice or necessity &eci&e& on the groun& on $hich ourfuture stra$berries are to gro$, the ne-t ste# is to #re#are the soil.The first an& most natural Duestion $ill be2 What is the chief nee& ofthis #lantC @any #re#are their groun& in a %ague, in&efinite $ay.


32/202


33/202

#ermits it.

Fe$ soils can be foun& so &ee# an& rich by nature that they cannot beim#ro%e& by art an& the Duestion for each to &eci&e is, ho$ far thereturns $ill com#ensate for e-tra #re#aration. ery often lan& forstra$berries recei%es but little more #re#aration than for $heat, an&such metho&s must #ay or they $oul& not be continue&. @any $ho follo$

these metho&s &eclare that they are the most #rofitable in the longrun. ) &oubt it.

)f our market is one in $hich stra$berries are sol& sim#ly as such,$ithout much regar& to fla%or or sie, there is not the samein&ucement to #ro&uce fine fruit. But e%en $hen Duantity is the chiefobject, &ee#ly #re#are& an& enriche& lan& retains that essentialmoisture of $hich $e ha%e s#oken, an& enables the #lant not only toform, but also to &e%elo# an& mature, a great &eal of fruit. )n themajority of markets, ho$e%er, each year, sie an& beauty count formore, an& these Dualities can be secure&, e%en from a fa%orable soil,only after thorough #re#aration an& enriching. ) fin& that e%ery

$riter of e-#erience on this subject, both 3merican an& Euro#ean,insists %igorously on the %alue of such careful #ul%eriation an&&ee#ening of the soil.

a%ing thus consi&ere& the most fa%orable lan& in the best con&ition#ossible, un&er or&inary culti%ation, ) shall no$ treat of that lesssuitable, until $e finally reach a soil too sterile an& ho#elessly ba&to re#ay culti%ation.

) $ill s#eak first of this same &ee#, moist loam, in its unsub&ue&con&ition that is, in stiff so&, trees, or brush$oo&. =f course, thelatter must be remo%e&, an&, as a rule, the cro#s on ne$ lan&$hich

has been un&isturbe& by the #lo$ for a number of years an&, #erha#s,ne%er robbe& of its original fertility$ill am#ly re#ay for the e-tralabor of clearing. Es#ecially $ill this be the case if the brush an&rubbish are burne& e%enly o%er the surface. The finest of $il&stra$berries are foun& $here trees ha%e been felle& an& the brushburne& an& the successful fruit gro$er is the one $ho makes the bestuse of such hints from nature.

The fiel& $oul& look better an& the culti%ation be easier if all thestum#s coul& be remo%e& before #lanting, but this might in%ol%e toogreat #reliminary e-#ense, an& ) al$ays counsel against &ebt e-ce#t inthe &irest necessity. 3 little brush burne& on each stum# $ill

effectually check ne$ gro$th, an&, in t$o or three years, theseunsightly objects $ill be so rotten that they can be #rie& out, an&easily turne& into ashes, one of the best of fertiliers. )n themeantime, the nati%e strength of the lan& $ill cause a gro$th $hich$ill com#ensate for the #artial lack of &ee# an& thorough culti%ation$hich the stum#s an& roots #re%ent. Those $ho ha%e tra%elle& West an&South ha%e seen fine cro#s of corn gro$ing among the halfburne&stum#s, an& stra$berries $ill &o as $ell.

But $here trees or brush ha%e gro$n %ery thickly, the roots an& stum#smust be era&icate&. The thick gro$th on the san&y lan& of Flori&a isgrubbe& out at the cost of about MH6 #er acre, an& ) kno$ of a

gentleman $ho #ays at the rate of M5I #er acre in the %icinity of;orfolk, a. ) &oubt $hether it can be &one for less else$here.


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his task than he has for the tangle& an& stubborn mysteries of life ingeneral, or the &ubious Duestion of ($hat shall be on the morro$( inhis o$n e-#erience. e $oul& see only the little stri# that he#ro#ose& to clear u# that &ay, an& $oul& go to $ork in a $ay all hiso$n.

3lthough not talkati%e to other #eo#le, he is %ery social $ith

himself, an&, in the early &ays of our acDuaintance, ) $as constantlymisle& into the belief that somebo&y $as $ith him, an& that he $as aman of $or&s rather than $ork. 3s soon, ho$e%er, as ) reache& a #ointfrom $hich ) coul& see him, there he $oul& be, alone, ben&ing to histask $ith the stea&y #ersistence that makes his labor so effecti%ebut, at the same time, until he sa$ me he $oul& continue &iscussing$ith eDual %igor $hate%er subject might be u##ermost in his min&. )su##ose he scarcely e%er takes out a stone or root $ithouta#ostro#hiing, a&juring, an& berating it in tones an& %ernacular soDueer that one might imagine he ho#e& to remo%e the refractory objectby magic rather than by muscle. When the sun is setting, ho$e%er, an&3braham has com#lacently a&%ise& himself, (Better Duit, for &e &ays

&one gone, an& &e ole $oman is arter me, afeare& )%e ki%ere& myselfu# agrubbin,( one thing is al$ays e%i&enta great many stones an&roots are (unki%ere&,( an& 3braham has earne& ane$ his right to thetitle of cham#ion grubber.

But, as most men han&le the #ick an& sho%el, the fruit gro$er must bechary in his attem#ts to sub&ue the earth $ith those ol&timeim#lements. )t is too much like making $ar $ith the ancient Romanshort s$or& in an age of rifle& guns. ) agree $ith that #racticalhorticulturist, Peter en&erson, that there are no im#lements eDual tothe #lo$ an& subsoiler, an&, in our broa& an& halfoccu#ie& country,$e shoul& be rather shy of lan& $here these cannot be use&.

The culti%ator $hose &ee# moist loam is co%ere& by so& only, instea&of rocks, brush, an& trees, may feel like congratulating himself onthe easy task before him an&, in&ee&, $here the so& is light,stra$berries, an& es#ecially the larger small fruits, are often#lante& on it at once $ith fair success. ) &o not recommen& the#ractice for, unless the subseDuent culture is %ery thorough an&freDuent, the grass roots $ill continue to gro$ an& may become sointert$ine& $ith those of the stra$berry that they cannot bese#arate&. "orn is #robably the best hoe& cro# to #rece&e thestra$berry. Potatoes too closely resemble this fruit in their &eman&for #otash, an& e-haust the soil of one of the most nee&e& elements. 3

&ressing of $oo& ashes, ho$e%er, $ill make goo& the loss. Buck$heat isone of the most effecti%e means of sub&uing an& cleaning lan&, an& t$ocro#s can be #lo$e& un&er in a single summer.


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into small fruits, ) $oul& $ait till $hate%er herbage co%ere& thegroun& $as just coming into flo$er, an& then turn it un&er. Theearlier gro$th that #rece&es the formation of see& &oes not ta- thesoil much, but &ra$s its substance largely from the atmos#here, an&$hen returne& to the earth $hile full of juices, is %aluable. )n ourlatitu&e this can usually be &one by the mi&&le of 4une, an& if onthis so& buck$heat is so$n at once, it $ill hasten the &ecay, loosen

an& lighten the soil in its gro$th, an& in a fe$ $eeks be rea&y itselfto increase the fertility of the fiel& by being #lo$e& un&er. )nregions $here farmyar& manure an& other fertiliers are scarce an&high, this #lo$ing un&er of green cro#s is one of the most effecti%e$ays both of enriching an& #re#aring the lan& an& if the rea&er hasno se%erer labors to #erform than this, he may $ell congratulatehimself.

But let him not be #remature in his selffelicitation, for he may fin&in his so& groun&, es#ecially if it be ol& mea&o$ lan&, an obstacle$orse than stum#s an& stonesthe


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foliage. Waterlogge& lan& is col&. The sun can bake, but not $arm itto any e-tent. "areful English e-#eriments ha%e #ro%e& that $ell&raine& lan& is from !6 to 56 &egrees $armer than $et soils an& @r.Parkes has sho$n, in his (Essay on the Philoso#hy of 'rainage,( thatin (&raining the Re& @oss the thermometer in the &raine& lan& rosein 4une to 99 &egrees at se%en inches belo$ the surface, $hile in theneighboring $aterlogge& lan& it $oul& ne%er rise abo%e 70 &egreesan

enormous gain.(

)n his #rie essay on &rainage, 'r. @a&&en confirms the abo%e, an&e-#lains further, as follo$s2 (3n e-cess of $ater injures the soil by&iminishing its tem#erature in summer an& increasing it in $interatransformation of nature most hurtful to #erennials, because the %igorof a #lant in s#ring &e#en&s greatly on the lo$ness of tem#erature to$hich it has been subjecte& &uring the $inter N$ithin certain limits,of courseO, as the &ifference of tem#erature bet$een $inter an& s#ringis the e-citing cause of the ascent of the sa#.( )n other $or&s, toomuch $ater in the soil may cause no marke& &ifference bet$een theun&ergroun& climate of $inter an& s#ring.

'r. @a&&en sho$s, moreo%er, that e-cess of $ater kee#s out the airessential not only in #romoting chemical changes in the soil itselfan& reDuire& by the #lants, but also the air $hich is &irectly nee&e&by the roots. Sir . 'a%y an& others ha%e #ro%e& that o-ygen an&carbonic aci& are absorbe& by the roots as $ell as by the foliage, an&these gases can be brought to them by the air only.

3gain, &rainage alters the currents $hich occur in $et soil. )nun&raine& lan&, e%a#oration is constantly bringing u# to the roots thesour, e-hauste& $ater of the subsoil, $hich is an injury rather than abenefit. =n the other han&, the rain just fallen #asses freely through

a &raine& soil, carrying &irectly to the roots fresh air an&stimulating gases.

Wet lan& also #ro&uces con&itions $hich &isable the foliage of #lantsfrom absorbing carbonic aci&, thus greatly &ecreasing its atmos#hericsu##ly of foo&. =ther reasons might be gi%en, but the rea&er $ho isnot satisfie& ha& better set out an acre of stra$berries on $aterlogge& lan&. is em#ty #ocket $ill outargue all the books.

The construction of &rains may be essential, for three causes2 !st.


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sho$ but for all or&inary #ur#oses of &rainage, roun& tile $ithcollars are no$ recommen&e& by the best authorities. )t is sai& thatthey are chea#er than stone, e%en $here the latter is right at han&an& the claim is reasonable, since, instea& of the $i&e &itch reDuire&by stone, a narro$ cut $ill suffice for tile thus a great sa%ing isat once effecte& in the cost of &igging. Tile also can be lai&ra#i&ly, an& are not liable to become obstructe& if #ro#erly #rotecte&

at #oints of &ischarge by gratings, so that %ermin cannot enter. Theyshoul& not be lai& near $illo$, elm, an& other trees of likecharacter, or else the fibrous roots $ill #enetrate an& fill thechannel. )f one has a large #roblem of &rainage to sol%e, he shoul&carefully rea& a $ork like Geo. E. Warings ('rainage for Profit an&for ealth( an& if the slo#e or fall of some fiel&s is %ery slight,say scarcely one foot in a hun&re&, the ser%ices of an engineer shoul&be em#loye& an& accurate gra&es obtaine&. By a $ell#lanne& system,the cost of &raining a #lace can be greatly re&uce&, an& the $aterma&e %ery useful.

=n my #lace at "orn$all ) foun& three acres of $et lan&, each in turn

illustrating one of the causes $hich make &rainage necessary. ) use&stone, because, in some instances, no other material $oul& ha%eans$ere&, in others #artly because ) $as a no%ice in the science of&rainage, an& #artly because ) ha& the stones on my #lace, an& &i& notkno$ $hat else to &o $ith them. ) certainly coul& not cart them on myneighbors groun& $ithout ha%ing a sur#lus of hot as $ell as col&$ater, so ) conclu&e& to bury them in the ol&fashione& bo-&rains.)n&ee&, ) foun& rather #eculiar an& &ifficult #roblems of &rainage,an& the history of their solution may contain useful hints to therea&er.

)n front of my house there is a lo$, le%el #lot of lan&, containing

about three acres. >#on this the surface $ater ran from all si&es, an&there $as no outlet. The soil $as, in conseDuence, sour, an& incertain s#ots only a $iry marsh grass $oul& gro$. 3n& yet itreDuire&, but a glance to see that a &rain, $hich coul& carry off thissurface $ater imme&iately, $oul& ren&er it the best lan& on the #lace.) trie&, in %ain, the e-#eriment of &igging a &ee#, $i&e &itch acrossthe entire tract, in ho#es of fin&ing a #orous subsoil. Then )e-ca%ate& great, &ee# holes, but came to a blue clay that hel& $aterlike rubber. The #orous subsoil, in $hich ) kne$ the region aboun&e&,an& $hich makes "orn$all e-ce#tionally free from all miasmatictroubles, elu&e& our s#a&es like hi&&en treasures. ) e%entually foun&that ) must obtain #ermission of a neighbor to carry a &rain across

another farm to the mountain stream that em#ties into the u&son at"orn$all


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resembles an e-ten&e& city lot, being 5,II6 feet long, an& only 7!6$i&e.

The house, as sho$n by the engra%ing, stan&s on Duite an ele%ation, inthe rear of $hich the lan& &escen&s into another s$ale or basin. The&rainage of this #resente& a still more &ifficult #roblem. ;ot only&i& the surface $ater run into it, but in moist seasons the groun& $as

full of s#rings. The serious feature of the case $as that there seeme&to be no a%ailable outlet in any &irection. >nlike the mello$, san&yloam in front of the house, the s$ale in the rear $as of the stiffestkin& of clayjust the soil to retain an& be s#oile& by $ater. 'uringthe first year of our resi&ence here this region $as sometimes a #on&,sometimes a Duagmire, $hile again, un&er the summer sun, it bake& intoearthen$are. )t $as a &oubtful Duestion $hether this stubborn acrecoul& be sub&ue&, an& yet its hea%y clay ga%e me just the &i%ersity ofsoil ) nee&e&. Throughout the high gra%elly knoll on $hich the housestan&s, the natural &rainage is #erfect, an& a sagacious neighborsuggeste& that if ) cut a &itch across the clayey s$ale into thegra%el of the knoll, the $ater $oul& fin& a natural outlet an&

&isa##ear.

The &itch $as &ug eight feet $i&e an& fi%e feet &ee#, for ) &eci&e& toutilie the surface of the &rain as a roa&be&. Passing out of theclay an& haran, $e came into the gra%el, an& it seeme& #orousenough to carry off a fairsie& stream. ) conclu&e& that my &ifficult#roblem ha& foun& a chea# an& easy solution, an& to make assurance&oubly sure, ) &irecte& the men to &ig a &ee# #it an& fill it $ithstones. When they ha& gone about nine feet belo$ the surface, )ha##ene& to be stan&ing on the brink of the e-ca%ation, $atching the$ork. 3 laborer struck his #ick into the gra%el, $hen a stream gushe&out $hich in its su&&en abun&ance suggeste& that $hich flo$e& in the

$il&erness at the stroke of @osss ro&. The #roblem $as no$com#licate& ane$. So far from fin&ing an outlet, ) ha& &ug a $ell$hich the men coul& scarcely bail out fast enough to #ermit of itsbeing stone& u#.

@y neighbors remarke& that my $i&e &itch remin&e& them of the Eriecanal, an& my $ife $as in terror lest the chil&ren shoul& be &ro$ne&in it. ;o$ something ha& to be &one, an& ) calle& in the ser%ices of@r. "al&$ell, city sur%eyor of ;e$burgh, an& to his ma# ) refer therea&er for a clearer un&erstan&ing of my tasks.

Bet$een the u##er an& lo$er s$ales, the ri&ge on $hich the house

stan&s slo#es to its greatest &e#ression along its $estern boun&ary,an& ) $as sho$n that if ) $oul& cut &ee# enough, the o#en &rain in thelo$er s$ale coul& recei%e an& carry off the $ater from the u##erbasin. This a##eare& Tobe the only resource, but $ith my limite& means

it $as like a shi#canal across the )sthmus of Panama. The ol& &e%iceof em#tying my &rains into a hole that #ractically ha& no bottom,suggeste& itself to me. )t $oul& be so much easier an& chea#er that )resol%e& once more to try it, though $ith ho#es naturally &am#ene& bymy last moist e-#erience. ) &irecte& that the hole Nmarke& B on thema#O shoul& be oblong, an& in the &irect line of the &itch, so that ifit faile& of its #ur#ose it coul& become a #art of the &rain. 'o$n $e

$ent into as #erfect san& an& gra%el as ) e%er sa$, an& the &ee#er $e&ug the &ryer it became. This time, in $oun&ing ol& (@other Earth,( $e&i& not cut a %ein, an& there seeme& a fair #ros#ect of our creating a


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ninety bushels to the acre. The 4ucun&a stra$berry is es#eciallya&a#te& to hea%y lan& reDuiring &rainage, an& ) think an enter#risingman in the %icinity of ;e$ *ork might so unite them as to make afortune. The hole $as fille& $ith stones an& no$ forms a #art of mygar&en, an& the canal ans$ers for a roa&be& as at first inten&e&. )nthe fortuitous $ell ) ha%e #lace& a force#um#, aroun& $hich aregro$n an& $atere& my #otte& #lants. The theory of carrying &rains into

gra%el &oes hol& $ater, an& sometimes holes can be &ug at a slighte-#ense, that #ractically ha%e no bottom. ) ha%e no &oubt that in thisinstance tile $oul& ha%e been better an& chea#er than the small stone&rains that ) ha%e &escribe&.

)n the rear of my #lace there $as a thir& &rainage #roblem %ery&ifferent from either of the other t$o. @y farm runs back to the riseof the mountain, $hose e&ge it skirts for some &istance. )t thusrecei%es at times much surface $ater. 3t the foot of the mountainslo#e, there are about three acres of lo$ allu%ial soil, that $asformerly co%ere& $ith a coarse, useless herbage of the s$am#. Bet$eenthe mea&o$ an& the slo#e of the mountain, (the to$n( built a

(boule%ar&( Nmarke& )) on the ma#O, #ractically (cribbing( an acre ort$o of lan&. 3hab, $ho nee&e& ;aboths %ineyar& for #ublic #ur#oses,is the s#iritual father of all (to$n boar&s.(

3t the e-treme en& of the farm, an& just beyon& the allu%ial groun&,$as the channel of a brook Nmarke& 4O. )ts stony be&, through $hichtrickle& a rill, ha& a %ery innocent as#ect on the =ctober &ay $hen $elooke& the farm o%er an& &eci&e& u#on its #urchase. The rill ran alittle $ay on my groun&s, then cre#t un&er the fence an& skirte& my$estern boun&ary for se%eral hun&re& yar&s. =n reaching a rise oflan&, it reentere& my #lace an& ran obliDuely across it. )t thusenclose& three si&es of the lo$, bushy mea&o$ ) ha%e name&. )ts lo$er

channel across the #lace ha& been stone& u# $ith the e%i&ent #ur#oseof kee#ing it $ithin limits but the three or four feet of s#acebet$een the $alls ha& become obstructe& by roots, bushes, %ines an&&ebris in general. With the e-ce#tion of the stony be& $here itentere& the farm, most of its course $as obscure& by o%erhangingbushes an& the sere, rank herbage of autumn.

)n a %ague $ay ) felt that e%entually something $oul& ha%e to be &oneto &irect this little chil& of the mountain into #ro#er $ays, an& tosub&ue the s#irit of the $il&erness that it &iffuse& on e%ery si&e. )ha& its lo$er channel across the #lace N? ?O cleare& out, thinkingthat this might ans$er for the #resent an& the gurgle of the little

streamlet along the bottom of the &itch seeme& a lo$ laugh at the i&eaof its e%er filling the three sDuare feet of s#ace abo%e it. 'eceitfullittle brook1 )ts innocent babble containe& no suggestion of itshoarse roar on a @arch &ay, the follo$ing s#ring, as it tore its $ayalong, scoo#ing the stones an& gra%el from its u##er be& an&scattering them far an& $i&e o%er the allu%ial mea&o$. )nstea& of atiny rill, ) foun& that ) $oul& ha%e to co#e at times $ith a mountaintorrent. 3t first, the task $as too hea%y, an& the fitfultem#ere&brook, an& the s$am#like region it encom#asse&, $ere left for yearsto their ol& $il& instincts. 3t last the increasing &eman&s of mybusiness ma&e it necessary to ha%e more arable lan&, an& ) sa$ that,if ) coul& kee# it from being o%er$helme& $ith $ater an& gra%el, the

allu%ial mea&o$ $as just the #lace for stra$berries.

) commence& at the lo$est #oint $here it finally lea%es my groun&s,


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my #lace, stoning u# its $alls on either si&e. 3n immense amount ofearth an& gra%el $as thro$n on the lo$er si&e so as to form a high,strong embankment in a&&ition to the channel. Then, $here it entere&the farm abo%e the mea&o$, ) ha& a $i&e, &ee# &itch e-ca%ate&,thro$ing all the &ebris bet$een it an& the lan& ) $ishe& to shiel&.Throughout the lo$ mea&o$, t$o co%ere& bo-&rains N< an& @O $ereconstructe& so that the #lo$ coul& #ass o%er them. =n the si&e of the

mea&o$ ne-t to the boule%ar& an& mountain, ) ha& an o#en &rain N; ;O&ug an& fille& $ith stones e%en $ith the groun&. )t $as &esigne& tocatch an& carry off the surface $ater, merely, from the long e-tent ofmountainslo#e that it skirte&. The system of &itches to #rotect an&&rain the #artial s$am#, an& also to manage the &eceitful brook, $asno$ finishe&, an& ) $aite& for the results. 'uring much of the summerthere $as not a &ro# of $ater in the $i&e canal, sa%e $here a li%ings#ring trickle& into it. The or&inary fall rains coul& scarcely morethan co%er the broa&, #ebbly bottom, an& the unso#histicate& laughe&an& sai& that ) remin&e& them of a general $ho traine& a forty#oun&gun on a belligerent mouse. ) remembere& $hat ) ha& seen, an& bi&e& mytime.

But ) &i& not ha%e to $ait till @arch. =ne ;o%ember &ay it began torain, an& it ke#t on. 3ll the follo$ing night there $as a stea&y rushan& roar of falling $ater. )t $as no or&inary #attering, but a gustyout#ouring from the ($in&o$s of hea%en.( The t$o s$ales in the frontan& rear of the house became great mu&&y #on&s, ta$ny as the (yello$Tiber,( an& through inter%als of the storm came the sullen roar of thelittle brook that ha& been #urring like a kitten all summer. To$ar&night, @ature gre$ breathless an& e-hauste& there $ere sobbing gustsof $in& an& su&&en gushes of rain, that gre$ less an& less freDuent.)t $as e%i&ent she $oul& become Duiet in the night an& Duite sereneafter her long, tem#estuous moo&.

3s the sun $as setting ) %enture& out $ith much misgi%ing. The&ee#ening roar as ) $ent &o$n the lane increase& my fears, but ) $asfairly a##alle& by the $il& torrent that cut off all a##roach to thebri&ge. The $ater ha& not only fille& the $i&e canal, but also, at a#oint a little abo%e the bri&ge, ha& broken o%er an& $ashe& a$ay thehigh embankment. ) skirte& along the ti&e until ) reache& the #art ofthe bank that still remaine& intact, an& there beneath my feet rushe&a floo& that $oul& ha%e instantly s$e#t a$ay horse an& ri&er. )n&ee&,Duite a large tree ha& been torn u# by its roots, an& carrie& &o$nuntil it caught in the bri&ge, $hich $oul& also ha%e gone ha& not theembankment abo%e gi%en $ay.

The lo$er #art of the mea&o$ $as also un&er $ater. )t ha& been #lo$e&,an& therefore $oul& $ash rea&ily. Woul& any soil be leftC 3 fe$moments of calm reflection, ho$e%er, remo%e& my fears. The treacherousbrook ha& not beguile& me &uring the summer into ina&eDuate #ro%isionfor this un#rece&ente& outbreak. ) sa$ that my &ee#, $i&e cut ha& ke#tthe floo& $holly from the u##er #art of the mea&o$, $hich containe& a%ery %aluable be& of high#rice& stra$berry #lants, an& that theslo$ly mo%ing ti&e $hich co%ere& the lo$er #art $as little more thanback$ater an& o%erflo$. The $i&e &itches $ere carrying off s$iftly an&harmlessly the great %olume that, ha& not such channels been #ro%i&e&,$oul& ha%e ma&e my rich allu%ial mea&o$ little else than a stony,

gra%elly $aste. 3n& the embankment ha& gi%en $ay at a #oint too lo$&o$n to #ermit much &amage.


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#on&s. )n the former instance, the $ater ha& backe& u# from themountain stream into $hich my &rain em#tie&, an&, therefore, it coul&not #ass off an& in the latter instance ) coul& scarcely e-#ect mylittle un&ergroun& channel to &is#ose at once of the torrents that forforty hours ha& #oure& from the skies. ) must gi%e it at least a nightin $hich to catch u#. 3n& a busy night it #ut in, for by morning itha& con%eye& to &e#ths unkno$n the $i&e, &iscolore& #on&, that

other$ise $oul& ha%e smothere& the #lants it co%ere&. 3s soon, also,as the mountain stream fell belo$ the mouth of the lo$er &rain, item#tie& at once the $ater resting on the lo$er s$ale. Throughout the&ay came successi%e tales of ha%oc an& &isaster, of &ams scoo#e& out,bri&ges s$e#t a$ay, roa&s $ashe& into stony gulches, an& fiel&s an&gar&ens o%er$helme& $ith &ebris. The )&le$il& brook, that the #oetWillis ma&e so famous, seeme& almost &emoniac in its #o$er an& fury.;ot content $ith $ashing a$ay &ams, roa&s, an& bri&ges, it s$e#t ahea%y $all across a fiel& as if the stones $ere #ebbles.

@y three &i%erse systems of &rainage ha& thus #ractically stoo& these%erest test, #erha#s, that $ill e%er be #ut u#on them, an& my

groun&s ha& not been &amage& to any e-tent $orth naming. The cost ha&been consi&erable, but the injury cause& by that one storm $oul& ha%eamounte& to a larger sum ha& there been no other channels for the$ater than those #ro%i&e& by nature.

@y rea&ers $ill fin&, in many instances, that they ha%e lan& $hichmust be or may be &raine&. )f it can be &one sufficiently, the %eryi&eal stra$berry soil may be secure&moist an& &ee#, but not $et.

"3PTER )K

TE PREP3R3T)=; =F S=)


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all the fine foreignbloo&e& %arieties, as $ell as our best nati%eones, gro$ far better on hea%y lan&, an& a soil largely mi-e& $ithclay gi%es a $i&er range in the choice of %arieties.

)f ) ha& my choice bet$een a farm of col&, stiff clay or light, leachylan&, ) $oul& unhesitatingly take the former, an& ) $oul& o%ercome itsnati%e unfitness by the follo$ing metho&s2 )f at all incline& to be

$et, as $oul& be natural from its tenacious te-ture, ) shoul& firstun&er&rain it thoroughly $ith tile. Then, if ) foun& a fair amount of%egetable matter, ) $oul& gi%e it a &ressing of airslake& lime, anlo$ it &ee#ly late in the fall, lea%ing it unharro$e& so as to e-#oseas much of the soil as #ossible to the action of frost. Early in thes#ring, as soon as the groun& $as &ry enough to $ork an& all &anger offrost $as o%er, ) $oul& harro$ in buck$heat an& #lo$ it un&er as itcame into blossom then so$ a secon& cro# an& #lo$ that un&er also. )tis the characteristic of buck$heat to lighten an& clean lan&, an& therea&er #ercei%es that it shoul& be our constant aim to im#artlightness an& life to the hea%y soil.


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is justly regar&e& as the best means of im#arting the mello$ness an&friability in $hich the roots of stra$berries as $ell as all other#lants lu-uriate.

There are, no &oubt, soils fit for bricks an& #i#ing only, but in mostinstances, by a ju&icious use of the means suggeste&, they can be ma&eto #ro&uce hea%y an& longcontinue& cro#s of the largest fruit.

These same #rinci#les a##ly to the small gar&en#lot as $ell as to theacre. )nstea& of carting off $ee&s, ol& #ea %ines, etc., &ig themun&er e%enly o%er the entire s#ace, $hen #ossible. Enrich $ith $arm,light fertiliers, an& if a goo& hea%y coat of hot stra$y manure istrenche& in the hea%iest, stickiest clay, in =ctober or ;o%ember,stra$berries or anything else can be #lante& the follo$ing s#ring. Thegar&ener, $ho thus e-#en&s a little thought an& farsighte& labor $illat last secure results that $ill sur#ass his most sanguine ho#es, an&that, too, from lan& that $oul& other$ise be as har& as Pharaohsheart.

Before #assing from this soil to that of an o##osite character, let mea&& a fe$ $or&s of caution. "lay lan& shoul& ne%er be stirre& $heneither %ery $et or %ery &ry, or else a lum#y con&ition results thatinjures it for years. )t shoul& be #lo$e& or &ug only $hen itcrumbles. When the soil is sticky, or turns u# in great har& lum#s,let it alone. The more haste the $orst s#ee&.

3gain, the #ractice of fall #lo$ing, so %ery beneficial in latitu&es$here frosts are se%ere an& long continue&, is just the re%erse in thefar South. There our sno$ is rain, an& the u#turne& furro$s are $ashe&&o$n into a smooth, sticky mass by the $inter storms. =n stee#hillsi&es, much of the soil $oul& ooe a$ay $ith e%ery rain, or sli&e

&o$nhill en masse. )n the South, therefore, unless a clay soil is tobe #lante& at once, it must not be &isturbe& in the fall, an& it is$ell if it can be #rotecte& by stubble or litter, $hich shiel&s itfrom the &irect contact of the rain an& from the suns rays. But co$#eas, or any other rankgro$ing green cro# a&a#te& to the locality, isas useful to Southern clay as to ;orthern, an& Southern fiel&s mightbe enriche& ra#i&ly, since their long season #ermits of #lo$ing un&erse%eral gro$ths.


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green cro#s. )f the soil coul& be ma&e sufficiently fertile to#ro&uce a hea%y cro# of clo%er, an& this $ere #lo$e& un&er in 4une,an& then buck$heat harro$e& in an& its rank gro$th turne& un&er in3ugust, stra$berries coul& be #lante& as soon as the heat of &ecay $aso%er, $ith e-cellent #ros#ects of fine cro#s for the three succee&ingyears. 'i& ) #ro#ose to kee# the lan& in stra$berries, ) $oul& thengi%e it another year of clo%er an& buck$heat, a&&ing bone&ust,

#otash, an& a %ery little lime in some form. The green cro#, $hen&ecaye&, is lighter than clay, an& ren&ers its tenacious te-ture morefriable an& #orous it also benefits the san&y soil by su##lying theabsent humus, or %egetable moul&, $hich is essential to all #lantlife. This moul& is also cool an& humi& in its nature, an& ai&s inretaining moisture.

With the e-ce#tion of the constant effort to #lace green %egetablematter un&er the surface, my treatment of san&y groun& $oul& be there%erse of that &escribe& for clay. Before using the #ro&uct of thehorsestable, ) $oul& com#ost it $ith at least an eDual bulk oflea%es, muck, so&s, or e%en #lain earth if nothing better coul& be

foun&. 3 com#ost of stable manure $ith clay $oul& be most e-cellent.)f #ossible, ) $oul& not use any manure on light groun& until allfermentation $as o%er, an& then ) $oul& rather Jharro$J than #lo$it in. This $ill lea%e it near the surface, an& the rains $ill leachit &o$n to the rootsan& belo$ them, alsoonly too soon. Fertilitycannot be store& u# in san& as in clay, an& it shoul& be our aim togi%e our stra$berries the foo& they nee& in a form that #ermits of itsimme&iate use. Therefore, in #re#aring such lan&, ) $oul& a&%ise &ee##lo$ing $hile it is moist, if #ossible, soon after a rain then theharro$ing in of a liberal to#&ressing of rotte& com#ost, or of mucks$eetene& by the action of frost an& the fermentation of manure, or,best of all, the #ro&uct of the co$stable. 'ecaye& lea%es, so&s, an&

$oo&ashes also make e-cellent fertiliers.

)n the gar&en, light soils can be gi%en a much more stable anro&ucti%e character by co%ering them $ith clay to the &e#th of one ort$o inches e%ery fall, an& then #lo$ing it in. The $inters frost an&rains mi- the t$o &i%erse soils, to their mutual benefit. "arting san&on clay is rarely remunerati%e the re%erse is &eci&e&ly so, an& to#&ressings of clay on light lan& are often more beneficial than eDualamounts of manure.

3s #ractically em#loye&, ) regar& Duick, stimulating manures, likeaguno, %ery injurious to light soils. ) belie%e them to be the curse

of the South. They are use& (to make a cro#,( as it is terme& an&they &o make it for a fe$ years, but to the utter im#o%erishment ofthe lan&. The soil becomes as e-hauste& as a man $oul& be shoul& heseek to labor un&er the su##ort of stimulants only. )n both instances,an abun&ance of foo& is nee&e&. 3 Duinine #ill is not a &inner, an& a&usting of guano or #hos#hate cannot enrich the lan&.

3n& yet, by the ai& of these stimulating commercial fertiliers, the#oorest an& thinnest soil can be ma&e to #ro&uce fine stra$berries, ifsufficient moisture can be maintaine&. 4ust as a #hysician can rallyan e-hauste& man to a con&ition in $hich he can take an& bestrengthene& by foo&, so lan&, too #oor an& light to s#rout a #ea, can

be stimulate& into #ro&ucing a meagre green cro# of some kin&, $hich,#lo$e& un&er, $ill enable the lan& to #ro&uce a secon& an& hea%ierbur&en. This, in turn, #lace& in the soil, $ill begin to gi%e a


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se%eral years of skilful management, to con%alesce slo$ly intostrength.

Whether such #atient outlay of time an& labor $ill #ay on a continentaboun&ing in lan& naturally #ro&ucti%e is a %ery &ubious Duestion.

"oarse, gra%elly soils are usually e%en $orse. )f $e must gro$ our

stra$berries on them, gi%e the same general treatment that ) ha%e justsuggeste&.

=n some #eat soils the stra$berry thri%es abun&antly on others itburns an& &$in&les. >n&er such con&itions ) shoul& e-#eriment $ithbone&ust, ashes, etc., until ) foun& just $hat $as lacking.

;o $ritten &irections can take the #lace of commonsense, ju&gment,an&, abo%e all, e-#erience. Soils %ary like in&i%i&ual character. )ha%e yet to learn of a system of rules that $ill teach us ho$ to &eal$ith e%ery man $e meet. )t is e%er $ise, ho$e%er, to &eal justly an&liberally. e that e-#ects much from his lan& must gi%e it much.

) ha%e &$elt at length on the #re#aration an& enrichment of the lan&,since it is the cornerstone of all subseDuent success.


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fe$ sacks or barrels. =n #a#er, they are scientific an& accurate. Thecro# you $ish to raise has constituents in certain #ro#ortions. Su##lythese, they say, an& you ha%e the chemical com#oun&, or cro#. 3 fiel&or gar&en, ho$e%er, is not a sheet of blank #a#er, but a combinationat $hich nature has been at $ork, an& left full of obscurities. Theresults $hich the agricultural chemist #re&icte& so confi&ently &o notal$ays follo$, as they ought. ;ature is often %ery in&ifferent to

learne& authorities.

T

success with small fruits

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