xt7nzs2k7v2w https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7nzs2k7v2w/data/mets.xml   Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station. 1898 journals kaes_bulletins_073 English Lexington, Ky. : The Station, 1885- Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin n.73. text Bulletin n.73. 1898 2014 true xt7nzs2k7v2w section xt7nzs2k7v2w A KENTUCKY A    
AGRICULTURAL LXPLRIAALNL SLALIUN   A g  
STATE COLLEGE OF KENTUCKY.
BULLEUN N0. 73. A _  
A STRAWBERRLES. ‘ A,
A TNT A  
l LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY.

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fi · _ ' ` KENTUCKY
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i I Agnculkural Experiment Statmn.
i ~ . BOARD OF CONTROL.
  A. P. GOODING, Chairman, Mayslick, Ky.
A     _]. B. KENNEDY, Paris, Ky.
I! { HART BOS\VELL, Lexington, Ky.
]. K. PATTERSON, President of the College.
· M. A. SCOVELL, Director, Secretary.
._ STATION OFFICERS.
` M. A. SCOVELL, Director.
Q I A. M. PETER,
» pl A Chemists.
  _ 'l H. E. eURT1s,i
l H. GARMAN, Entomologist and Botanist.
C. \V. MATHE\VS, Horticulturist.
, J. N. HARPER, Dairyman.
\ V. E. MUNCY, \Veather Observer.
  MISS ALICE M. SHELBY, Stenographer.
' "“ Address of the Statio11»LlCXINGTON, KY. 4
NOTICE.
K The Bulletins of tl1e Station will be mailed free to any citizen of
_   — Kentucky who sends his name and address to tl1e Station for that
QUTPOSB.
  Correspondents will please notify the Director of changes in their ,
post-ofiice address, or of any failure to receive the Bulletins. I
_ A1>1>R1£5S :
i KIJZNTIJCKY AGRICULTURAL EXI‘LIRI11ENT STATION,
I LExrN<;’roN, KY. I
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Bui.i.Er1N No. 73. . .
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STRAWBERRY RESULTS IN 1897. A ,  
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nv c. w. M.-\THE\V5, 1—1o12T1cULTUR1sT. ‘ T
A report upon the varieties of strawberries grown upon
the Experiment Station farm in 1895 was issued two years
ago as Bulletin No. 62 of this station. The following year
(1896) was a very unfavorable season for the strawberry in  
this locality, so that no reliable estimate could be made of the
relative value of the varieties under cultivation during that
year. Y"
The past season, however, was quite favorable to the i ‘.(
crop, both in this vicinity, and as our reports show, in most _ —_
parts of the state. V l
As in our previous strawberry report, we have again _  
called upon the growers throughout the state to give us their J
_ experience with methods of cultivation and varieties. In Q
response to our inquiries we have been fortunate i11 securing
valuable data from one hundred and thirty of the largest and A·
most progressive strawberry growers in the state, and the
writer takes this opportunity of expressing his appreciation ,  
of the valued assistance they have rendered. i
It is believed that a report of this kind will have a far "‘
I greater value to the farmers of Kentucky when obtained from »
the records of growers all over the state than it could possibly  
have if it included only the results of our own observations upon
i our liinitcd plots, representing but a single combination of
soil, climate, and other conditions.
That the reports from our correspondents are fairly repre- ,
sentative of the conditions existing in Kentucky may be seen
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  _' from the fact tl1at they i11clude all parts of the state, thirty-
Qt   · two counties bei11g represented, from Fulton to Lawrence and
· _ from Boone to Bell. Among the seventy-five growers who
Y have stated the area devoted to this crop, there are three
hundred and twenty-five acres in strawberries, an average of
· four and o11e—tl1ird acres each.
, _ B \Vhile this represents of course but a fraction of the acre-
i i age in the state, it is nevertheless ample to show the prevailing
' 1 1netl1ods of culture Ellld tl1e average opinion concerning va-
=   T rieties. `
" Interest i11 the strawberry, both as an adjunct to the
farn1er`s garden Zllld as a market crop, is undoubtedly 011 the
· increase. The large and growing cities l`lpO1l our northern
. · border afford a good market for early berries, which tllé fruit
_ growers of Kentucky are i11 just the position to profit by,
T -, · Nor should the smaller '[O\Vl1S be overlooked when the straw-
Lp '.i berry grower is seeking a market. Experience has shown
.` ` .` ii over a11d over again that in shipping to large cities the farmer
l and gardener often neglect a near but s111aller market, which,
with some attention could be made to l'€tlll“ll 111ucl1 larger
{ profits, at least for limited quantities, than do the large city
X markets, which receive such €llOl'lllOllS quantities of perishable
gif products that they must so1neti111es be sold at a loss.
i M The importance of cultivating the smaller cities a11d towns ·
as fruit markets is further very emphatically shown by the
replies of our correspondents. Those who have sold their
` crops in smaller markets have as a rule received two or three
\ _ cents per quart more than those who have shipped to the large
" markets of Cincinnati, Louisville and Chicago.
  _ Growers who have many acres in this crop cannot, it is
true, hope to dispose of their entire crop i11 small towns, al-
though many of this class do sell a considerable amount of
i fruit in the smaller markets, only shipping to tl1e large cities
é when the home market has been completely supplied, but the
I , difference in price enforces the importance of studying the de-
‘ _ s mand in tl1e home market; a demand that Cllll Oftlill be greatly
, increased by properly supplying it.
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CULTURAL METHODS. i
THE SOIL AND ITS PREPARATION. I Q
The strawberry will thrive upon nearly all kinds of soils, I ,
as the great variety of soils mentioned by our correspondents · T
would indicate. But the soil should be good and well drained. E j
The majority prefer a "clay loam" or "sandy loam" on some- ’ i
what elevated land to escape late frosts, with a gentle slope to V 1 »
the southeast or north, according as the grower desires to i
reach an early or late market,
\Vhenever the "cutworm" is prevalent, growers find it
safer to use land that has been in some cultivated crop for a
year or two rather than sod ground. Many growers, in parts
of the state where it is practicable, had that they secure their  
best results with "new" or "virgin" land, but recently cleared
of its timber. Such land, if suitable in quality, generally
contains an abundance of all the needed elements of plant fer- i`
tility from the decaying organic matter and ashes usually left V `.l
in large quantities upon such land. 1 —
Some of the most thorough cultivators plow the ground i
deeply in the fall, leaving it rough through the winter, plow ,  
again as early in the spring as possible, and work it very j
thoroughly with harrows and other implements, according to I
I the character of the soil, until it is in the most perfect tilth _
possible, before setting the plants. i·
MANURES AND FERTILIZERS. {
The manures and fertilizers used vary greatly, as would l
be expected upon widely different kinds of soil. No rule  
of general application can be given as to whether ]ll2lll— ,
ures or commercial fertilizers are needed upon a soil for the  
strawberry crop, and the individual must use his judgment,
based upon experiment and observation upon his own or near-
by lands to determine whether tl1e use of any manure will
yield a proiit.
()f one fact, however, there C2l11I)C no question 1 the soil
nmst be either naturally fertile or made so artihcially. The

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fil ~ _ strawberry, of all crops, will nowhere yield satisfactory re-
  ie turns upon a poor and unfertilized soil.
1 ` Upon some virgin lands, our correspondents find that they
A can secure abundant crops without manures of any kind, and
. in our "Blue Grass" soils others find that the application of
· commercial fertilizers will not produce any paying results for
i ' i l the strawberry.
2 Tl1e most generally used source of plant food i11 the state
, -, 1 _ is barnyard or stable manure. \Vhen commercial fertilizers
. i are applied at all, as they are by perhaps one-fourth or one-
fifth of our correspondents, wood ashes and ground bone
seem to be used more than all other kinds put together.
I i Stable manure should be well rotted or applied the year
` previous to setting the plants. Many End it profitable, par-
, ‘ ticularly on tl1e lighter soils, to turn under a green crop such
'{ T as clover or cow peas tl1e previous year, thus furnishing an
  ,_._   abunda11t supply of decaying vegetable matter or humus to
'   the soil, as well as supplying the nitrogenous element of plant
food.
Bone dust and wood ashes are best applied in the spring
° just before setting the plants, in most cases broadcasting
  giving best results, and they should be thoroughly worked into
. ,, the surface layers of the soil.
Too much attention cannot be given to thoroughly pul— -
verizing the soil before setting the plants ; as one grower ex-
presses it, he "continues working it until no clod larger than
a l1en`s   can be found either under or on top of the
— .. ` ground." \Vith lighter soil than this man possesses, it would V
, be a good rule to allow no clod eve11 of this size.
SETTING THE PLANTS.
Among Kentucky strawberry growers, as in n1ost parts of
i tl1e country, tl1e "1ll2`t}[l€(l row" system of growing the crop
  has been very generally adopted, as giving tl1e largest and
. most profitable yield of fruit for the average grower. The
\ , large growers set tl1e plants in rows from three and one—half
e to four feet apart, the plants in the rows being set from
one to three feet apart, according to the ability of the variety
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to produce runners and plants. \Ve believe the latter distance i  
( 3, feet) to be by far too great under most circumstances, as it I
is difficult to avoid a poor "stand" of plants, if, on account of ’ j t
cutworms or other causes, a portion of the first setting of V Z
plants is lost. Distances of fourteen to twenty inches apart, i , i
according to soil and variety, appear to be safer limits, ex- ·  
cept for the strongest growing varieties. The greater of    
these distances is sometimes adopted to enable the grower to ’ t
cultivate both ways until the plants begin to run considerably. , i ~
Each grower has his favorite plan of setting the plants. i
One very careful and apparently successful cultivator in cen-
tral western Kentucky gives the following as his method of
procedure: "A boy has the plants in a pail about one-third
full of water, and the plants are dropped just as needed by the
planter. The planter uses a concave trowel, the plant roots  
are spread fan-shaped in the hole, and the soil is pressed firmly
all around except just at the crown. " Many growers prefer in-
stead of the concave trowel, a fiat dibber, such as is used by Y`
nurserymen, and others a common sharp spade for making a i .,
narrow, wedge-shaped opening in which the roots can be 1 —_
spread out fan-shaped in the direction of the row. Q
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AFTER~CULTURE. Q  
- As soon as the plants are set, cultivation should begin and il
should be continued unceasingly until late in the fall. Some r ,
of the most careful growers in our state cultivate their straw- '
berry helds regularly once a week except when interfered with
by storms. It should be remembered that the best cultivation, as i i
now understood, does not mean simply the destruction of l
weeds and keeping the land clean. Careful experiment and “
observation have shown beyond question, that in most cases,  
an object of nearly or quite equal importance is the saving of  
soil moisture, that is effected by a constant stirring of the
surface soil, which acts like a blanket to prevent the rapid
evaporation of the water beneath the surface. The import-
ance of moisture to the strawberry crop, and the losses occa-
sioned by drouth, are too well known to every grower of expe-
rience. No other crop grown is more exacting in its demands
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    32 Bu//alia; rV0. 73.
  i for a sufficient supply of soil moisture, and no effort should be
  i ” spared to jealously guard every avenue by which the moisture
  t can be lost.
In regard to the practice of cutting the runners from
newly set plants, opinions differ, as was expected. A large ma-
` jority do not favor cutting them at all, believing that the first
i _ y formed plants are the most fruitful ones of the succeeding
Q season. Those who practice cutting the runners usually do
' r so until the middle of june or the first of july, after which
¢ iv ` tin1e the stored up energies of the parent are able to produce
’ a large number of young plants if the weather is favorable.
If, on the other hand, one of our frequent summer drouths
- begins about this time the cha11ces for a good "stand" of
, plants are greatly diminished.
A number of careful growers follow an alternative plan
~ f — which has much to connnend it. They allow the runners to
_   grow, but late in the season carefully thin out the plants in
  _   the matted rows, removing all the smaller ones and leaving an
l even stand of plants 11ot nearer than six or eight inches apart.
Every plant is tlms relieved from crowding, the winter llllllCll
,, will settle about it to keep the future berries clean, and each is
__ thus in the best condition for an abundant fruitagc.
  ()n account of its ready availability the most commonly
‘ " used mulch is wheat straw, which is generally applied lightly
in I)ecember, or after the first freeze, and remains in place until I
after the crop is marketed in order to keep the berries clean.
» _P If the mulch is heavy enough over the plants to prevent
_ them from coming through freely when growth starts in the
` t Q spring, it should be partly raked off into the alleys between
{ the rows. Here, like the soil mulch of the preceding years,
I it serves to check the escape of moisture from the soil by
evaporation.
· lt is the usual practice among Kentucky growers to take
_ two or three crops, often more, of berries from a bed before
i turning it under. Like most other practices its advisability
` depends up·>n the conditions surrounding the individual
v ` grower. In many parts of the country the practice of turning
under the plants as soon as the first crop is secured, meets with

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much favor. It is argued by those who follow this practice  
that it is less expensive to set a new bed each year than to i
clean and keep clean the old one; that some quick growing ` ‘
crop can be matured before winter upon the same land that I l
produced a crop of berries, ·and finally that the first crop of , »
fruit meets with a readier sale on account of the larger size ‘ l
and greater attractiveness of the berries. l  
PICKING, MARKETING, YIELD AND PRICES. A 4
In this state the pickers who are employed to gather the l
berries are of all kinds, men, women and children, both
white and colored. They are for the most part paid by the
quart, although a few growers prefer to pay by the day. The
price ranges in general from 1 cent to 2 cents per quart,
although i11 a few cases the prices run aboye or below this rate, ‘°
the average being I/l/gi cents per quart. ln counties adjacent
to the Cincinnati market, the price paid is usually 1 cent or
1}+ cents per quart; around Louisville the price appears if
to range slightly higher, while in the extreme western part ~ ·‘
of the state the usual price paid by those reporting is , i
2 cents per quart. This variation in price is due in part i
to the different class of berries produced in different sec·  
tions. In the extreme west the Crescent type is the favorite, j
_ being shipped to distant northern markets like Chicago. while l
in the vicinity of Louisville and Cincinnati the shorter trans- _
portation permits a greater proportion of the larger varieties ·
like the Bubach to be grown, with a consequent saving in the
cost of picking. 1 l
In keeping tally with the pickers the common plan is still l
the use of checks of different denominations, which are handed f
to the pickers as fast as a picking stand of four to six quarts  
is passed in to the superintendent, these checks being redeem—  
able i11 cash at the end of the week or picking season. _
As these checks are frequently lost, and found by others
than the owners, giving risc to more or less dispute and dis-
satisfaction, many growers have adopted the plan of using
tickets to be punched, on which are printed different denom—
inations of money or numbers of baskets. These tickets are I
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  .— A not transferable, and as fast as berries are gathered the amount
  i due the picker is punched from the numbers 0n this card, the
; ‘ punch used for this purpose being carefully kept of course in
¢ the owner’s possession, the settlements being 111ade just as in
V the check system.
The practice of branding each crate of fruit with the
S - 1 gr0wer’s name and the variety of fruit in some neat design, is
2 an excellent idea tl1at has been adopted by a few growers,
, i This is an inexpensive form of advertising that helps to create
T if a demand for a grower`s product if his fruit is uniformly good
A and carefully picked, and has a reactionary effect upon the
grower himself, stimulating him to greater efforts in the grow-
` ing of choice fruit and putting that fruit upon the market in
· the most attractive shape.
» From general reports, the past season seems to have been
f 4 ` one of the most favorable for the strawberry crop for several
  lp   ` years. An attempt was made to secure data as to the yield of
- -, fruit, and the average prices received. As the figures given
K were not all estimated upon the same basis, it is not possible
to give results with exactness. The average yield for 1897,
5 of all the growers who gave definite hgures, appears to be
v about 3400 quarts or a little over 100 bushels per acre, the
  average gross price, 6}_{ cents per quart, a11d the average net
I N price, after deducting cost of picking, shipping and connnis-
sions, to be 4% cents per quart, or in round numbers, $150
per acre.
` Many growers have, of course, exceeded these Hgures,
_ , _ but the estimate made above, including only one or two grow-
" ers who are cultivating less than one acre, and including sales
  in smaller markets as well as the large cities, is believed to be
" a close approximation to the truth.
Several growers, whom we have every reason to believe to
' be thoroughly reliable, have reported crops ll€Z1I'l}' or quite
l twice as large as the yield lll€_l1tlOl1€(l above. A signilicant
1 ' fact noticed i11 several i11sta11ces is, that those growers who
` have produced the large yields per acre have also frequently
' , secured prices considerably higher than the average. \Vhile,
of course, l1lllCll depends upon a man’s conditions and markets, _
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these facts possibly suggest that the same energy and pains-   t
taking care that enables one to produce a large crop, will also
lead hi1n to give such attention to its condition and attractive-   I
ness in the market that its ready sale at a good price is assured. l
MOST POPULAR VARIETIES. » ·  
The varieties first in popular favor remain about the same    
as they were two years ago, Bubach still easily holding ` { l
first place among growers for market, followed by Haverland, _ E -
Gandy, Crescent, Michel and \Varfield. ` 1
It is interesting to 11ote that in an inquiry regarding best
market varieties, that was sent out four years ago, the returns
gave Creseent iirst place as the favorite. This seems to indi-
cate,-—what we should expect,—that consumers are becoming
better educated and more critical in their purchases of straw-  
berries, so that where a berry of the Crescent class would once
sell freely, the buyers now demand the larger and better ber- __
ries represented by the Bubach. lp
The Michel, while not very much esteemed in the eastern i ‘¢
part of the State, is generally of considerable value in west- = `,
ern Kentucky for shipment, because the entire crop can be ,
ripened and gotten to market before the glut of later berries ·
arrives, so that, although not a very productive variety, it fills __ l
a very important place in their crop. I
Of the varieties recommended as pollinators of such ‘_
standard varieties as Bubach and Haverland, the varieties
most frequently mentioned and in their order are : Gandy, (
Michel, Lovett, Enhance and \Voolverton.  
One grower suggests removing the mulch from Bubach ,
and Haverland at a later period than from the Gandy, thus r _
r bringing their blooming period into closer conformity.  
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Qi . A N
  . _ NOTES ON VARIETIES.
{
(The varieties marked P. are pistillate or imperfect flowered
kinds.)
It should be remembered that these notes are made chiefly
Q · . under such conditions as surround the average grower for
Z imarket. The culture given is such as prevails upon farms
·_ j ' where several acres of strawberries are grown. lt is doubt-
i l``i less true that some of the varieties which are unpopular under
i such field culture, would, in small gardens under high culture,
yield good crops and give complete satisfaction.
` Upon our own grounds, while the conditions are perhaps
· somewhat more favorable than in the helds of the average
. market grower, they are no better than are provided by a
` [ ` number of our correspondents who grow several acres of ber-
;._   ries each, and no excessive "coddling" is given to either old
- ii ·, or new varieties.
{ ANNIE LAURIE. Eight out of nine who mention it describe
P it as worthless and unproductive, which accords with our
’ experience.
  AROMA. Vpon our grounds we had but a very few plants of
L` —., this. It seemed fairly productive, of fair size and will be
tried again. Two growers in \\'arren county speak in
4 very high terms of this as a late variety.
_ AUBURN. P. A medium sized berry of good quality and
handsome appearance, but only moderately productive
‘ l. ` here and elsewhere so far as heard from.
e BANQUET. P. Showed no indications of special value upon
` our grounds.
BARTON. P. \\'hile still cultivated as a market variety in
. some localities on account of iLs productiveness, it is no
longer a popular variety owing in part to its susceptibility
i to rust. i
{ BEDER WOOD. (lenerally discarded throughout the state, al-
‘ i though still grown for market in northern Kentucky near
i Cincinnati.
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BEECHER. Has been generally discarded on account of unpro-  
ductiveness. I
BEVERLY. Does not seem to grow in popularity; of good qual- · ,
ity, but not productive enough. I
BISEL. P. Gave a good yield of medium sized berries on our I _   i
land, but generally reported as valueless. ; J
BOYNTON. P. Not generally liked as well as Crescent, which E T
it closely resembles. . .
BRANDYWINE. Receives about an equal number of favorable ·  
and unfavorable comments; its praises are moderate in
tone and it does not seem likely to become very popular;
not very productive.
BRUNETTE. Of medium size. quite productive, and of superior
quality on our grounds, but the majority of reports are  
unfavorable. »
BUBACH. P. Still by far the most popular variety in Ken- ,_
tucky either for market or l1on1e use. Q
CHAIRS. Discarded as valueless by all who have reported i 1*
upon it. “ a
CHILDS. Favorably commented upon by a few growers and *
discarded by others. A pale berry, of l1lC(llll1ll size and  
rather attractive in appearance, but not productive on our R I
. grounds.
CRESCENT. P. Continues to be one of the favorites for market · `L.
in Kentucky, particularly with those who ship long dis-
tances. Some of the latter still hud it their best paying _ {
variety. i i
CYCLONE. A rather small berry, bright in color aud of good f
flavor, but not productive enough; not generally valuable. ·.
DOWNING. Not very generally grown for market now: not  
productive and suffers much from rust. Still a favorite V
with some for home use. V
EDGAR QUEEN. I’. Generally discarded, although favorably
spoken of in jefferson county; moderately productive
here, but rather irregular in shape; others are more
valuable.
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 _   ELEANOR. One ofthe rece11t varieties, which meets but little
    ‘ favor in Kentucky; on our grounds it was small and not
{ . A j productive.
n i ENHANCE. Not very generally esteemed, although several in
Kenton county give a favorable opinion of it; as grown
A here not very productive and is unattractive in appear-
; . · , ance.
- ENORMOUS. P. Of large size and attractive in appearance;
i _ ‘ quality good and productive upon our grounds; will be
° ° A i tried further.
EPPING. P. Has not proved of value on our grounds; will
not be grown further.
I EQUINOX. Does not appear valuable on our grounds: rather
I small and unproductive. The majority of those reporting
; pronounce unfavorably upon it; one however finds it
it I worthy of further trial.
" ·»   FAR WEST. A recently introduced variety of the Crescent type
i   that exhibits no valuable qualities here.
FOUNTAIN. Small and unproductive; discarded. i
. GANDY. One of the trio of Kentucky’s favorite varieties; best
\ late market berry almost everywhere in the state; equally
{5;* good for the home garden; somewhat lacking in produc-
V A" tivencss, but on most ground has nearly every other good
quality. ·
A GARDNER. A strong vigorous grower and quite productive on
` our ground; berry of good size and appearance. The
_ _ only comment upon it from our correspondents is favor-
M able.
  GREENVILLE. P. Reports upon this variety are in most cases
` favorable; handsome in appearance and productive here
as in most places in the state.
l HAVERLAND. P. Too well known to need any description; a
I favorite all over the state as a market variety and for
i _ home use, although only fair i11 quality.
\ . IOWA BEAUTY. A fairly productive variety, of good quality
. and medium size. Growers elsewhere do not praise it:
badly rusted here.

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IVANHOE. Medium to large in size, of excellent quality and  
fairly productive. Comments from other parts of the f
state, though few, are favorable to it. t ·
jAY GOULD. P. Generally discarded. i L
LEADER. Not very generally grown in Kentucky. One ; ‘
grower speaks in high terms of it. Upon our ground it ` l
was large but irregular in shape and not productive    
enough. {
LOVETT. One of our most productive varieties and largely .   i
` used for pollinating imperfect varieties. Of medium size i
and fair quality. Quite largely grown for market, espec-
ially in Northern Kentucky.
MARSHALL: A large and handsome fruit but not productive,
and although a considerable number of growers have
tested it, scarcely a single favorable report has been re-  
ceived concerning it. P
MAY KING. Reports are not favorable. Much complaint of g-
rust. .
MARGARET. A new variety that has been quite extensively ad- i  
vertised. Upon the few plants on our grounds it was ” 4
quite productive of large and attractive berries. \Ve ¤
shall try it further.  
MEEK'S EARLY. P. Upon our grounds a small dark colored ·; I
_ berry. Discarded by other growers who have tested it.
MEXICAN. Unproductive and rusted badly. Discarded. l·
MICHEL. Not productive but ripens its entire crop early so
that when the chief object is to reach the market early, ,  
this variety sometimes proves quite desirable. Not gen- l
erally esteemed in this part of the State, but growers i11 ¥
southern and western Kentucky speak in high terms of I
it and find it their best paying berry, because they can  
get it into market before the glut of later berries arrives.
MIDDLEFIELD. P. Large and handsome berries, but unpro- _
ductive and generally discarded.
MINER. All reports are unfavorable. (lenerally discarded.
MRS. CLEVELAND. Of several reports received all are unfavor-
able, and it is generally discarded.

 ·    
I ` - .
l ‘—
  if · 40 Bu//cfz`n ZV0. yy.
Qi `
  L . MOUNT VERNON. \\*hile favorably commented upon by some
i \ for a home berry, this variety has been generally dis-
A carded as a market variety, on account of its softness and
because badly affected by rust. I
A MUSKINGU M. Of the few reports made in regard to this berry,
g . y most are unfavorable except from this part of the state.
Q Upon our grounds this variety is large, smooth and hand—
i _ t some, and of superior quality. Plants very free from
‘ “ rust.
I NOBLE. Of the few reports received all are unfavorable.
_ NO NAME. Fairly productive and of pleasing appearance on
our grounds, but reports from other parts of the State are
i uniformly unfavorable.
· _ _ PARKER EARLE. Generally discarded. Only does well on rich
A-   soil with an abundant supply of moisture.
  v if PREMIUM. P. Berries few and of poor quality on the few
plants that we grew in our plot.
PRINCESS. P. ()f the seven correspondents who refer to this ,
°° variety only one calls it good ; the remaining reports are
Q; unfavorable. Upon our ground it yielded a fair crop of
) ._ berries of good appearance and flavor.
PRINCETON CHIEF. P. (leneral reports unfavorable. Yielded
here a generous crop of suiall to medium berries which
. were rather sour. _ .
, REIHL'S NO. 5. A productive variety of medium size and
` ` V good quality. Quite free from rust. \\'e shall try it
  further. »
RIO. A variety that, like Michel, ripeus the bulk of its crop
early, and is reported upon quite favorably from the
i counties along the ()hio River and in the extreme west-
p ern part of Kentucky as an early market variety. ln
A _ this part of the State it is not commended. Uponour
_ grounds this variety has produced a moderate yield of i
i handsome berries of good size, and very early. Plants
healthy.

 lj ~`
[L
 ‘
I .S`/rnrr·brr1‘/rs. 4 L P p
DIPE SHARPLESS. 'I`his old variety, though cultivated to some ex-,  
dlS‘ _ tent, has been generally discarded throughout the state. _
and . As several growers suggest, it "has seen its day."  
- SNOWBALL. Of no pronounced value here. Rusts badly. I
?YYY» SPARTA. Small to medium in size. Not productive and rusts .   i
tam- . badly here. j
fmdf . SP[ENDI'D." Reports from nearly all points in the State are un- E i
tl-Om favorable. Rusts badly here. , _.
· STAPLES; Reports are unfavorable. Of no decided merit i
Q here.
E Ou SWINDLE. P. One of the most productive varieties upon our
6 are grounds during the past two seasons. Of good size, but
dull in color and rather unattractive in appearance.
‘ mh Tennessee vnouenc. Reports divided in opiiiimi as to its if
value. Majority favorable. Moderately productive here,
e few but 11ot attractive in appearance. I.
, TIMBRELL; P. Of good quality, but so unsightly in Zl1)])€{ll`— A ·'
o this ance that it has been generally discarded.  
ts are j TUBBS. Not very productive here and rusts badly, but one i l
iop of prominent grower finds it worthy of further trial.  
WARFIELD. P. Not generally found valuable exceptin the 1 j
iejdcd northern counties along the Ohio River, where it is still I
which ‘ considered by most of the growers a standard market v_
variety. R"
: and WILLIAM BELT. Moderately productive of large and attrac—
U`. it tive berries. Reports are divided as to its merits, the 3  
i majority being unfavorable on account of its lack of pro- l
ductiveuess and its susceptibility to rust.  
s crop ,
in the  
west-
y. ln
()lI_ (lll ll l
ield of i
Plants ·

 s g ` . gg I I  
; I I" ?
I I i ~
  " 4 42 . Bw//c/{71 N0. 73.
2% A
SUMMARY.
i ~ .
_ THE SOIL FOR STRAWBERRIES SHOULD BE RICH AND MOIST,
I ` . BUT WELL DRAINED. _
=   ` SOMEWHAT ELEVATED LANDS PREFERABLE TO AVOID LATE
’ FROSTS.
THE SOIL SHOULD BE THOROUGHLY AND DEEPLY PULVERIZED
- BEFORE SETTING PLANTS. A
_ BARNYARD MANURE THE MOST GENERALLY USED SOURCE OF
PLANT FOOD. BONE DUST AND WOOD ASHES FOUND PARTICU-
· I . LARLY VALUABLE BY MANY GROWERS. `
_   THE MATTED ROW SYSTEM OF GROWING THE CROP ALMOST
  _ MI UNIVERSALLY USED IN KENTUCKY. ‘
I CONTINUOUS AND FREQUENT CULTIVATION SHOULD BE GIVEN
THE CROP, WHETHER WEEDY OR NOT, FROM THE TIME OF SET-
._ TING UNTIL LATE FALL.
x MOST KENTUCKY GROWERS FIND IT PROFITABLE TO FRUIT
QB THEIR BEDS FOR TWO OR THREE YEARS.
I Ch THE USE OF TICKETS SUITABLE FOR PUNCHING IS THE MOST
GENERALLY SATISFACTORY METHOD OF KEEPING TALLY WITH THE °
PICKERS.
THE AVERAGE YIELD IN KENT