The election of officers resulted in the choice of the following for the ensuing year: President-L. G. Kellogg, Ripon. Vice President, Chas. Hirschinger, Baraboo. Corresponding Secretary, J. L. Herbst, Sparta. Wm. Toole-With regard to the matter of an increased appropriation and for a more generous sized volume, I hope you will let your legislative committee know what you want in this way. Secretary-The state allows us two hundred pages but we were given fifty pages more, making in all two hundred and fifty pages. Prof. Henry says: "Whatever you do, do not get a cumbersome volume, get the gist of the matter, but do not make it too large." Prof. Henry asked us to go over to the horticultural building, and President Adams invited us to hold one or more meetings there. I move that we hold our meeting this afternoon at the horticultural building. Carried. UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN, Mr. A. J. Philips, West Salem, Wisconsin. Office of the President. My Dear Sir:--In behalf of the university it gives me great pleasure to invite the State Horticultural Society to meet at least once in the course of its meeting in February at the horticultural building at the university. This invitation is extended with the knowledge of Professor Henry, who will make every needed preparation for meeting your members and giving them the opportunity of observing what is done for the encouragement of horticulture at this university. Hoping that nothing will occur to prevent your accepting this invitation, I am, Very respectfully yours, C. K. Adams, President. STRAWBERRIES FOR 1895. Will. Hanchett, Sparta. The subject assigned me, Strawberries for 1895, deals with futurity, and in handling it I must inform you that I am not a prophet, neither the son of a prophet, and speak only as a person who has been engaged in strawberry culture among the hills of Monroe county for the past thirteen years. This subject naturally presents itself to our minds under three distinct heads: the prospect of the coming season's crop; the new things learned in regard to soil, location, cultivation and fertilization, which will be applied to our next season's planting; and varieties best adapted for next season's planting. Of the first I will say that the strawberry crop of 1895 in Monroe county will be a small one, as last summer's drouth gave us a very poor stand of plants on new setting, and badly burned out old plantations. On the second head, I will say that the last two seasons have taught Monroe county strawberry growers that a soil and location not capable of raising a good crop of winter wheat, without great risk of its winter killing, is not reliable for strawberries; and any soil and location where winter wheat was reasonably sure of wintering without damage could be depended on for a good crop of strawberries, even in a very unfavorable season. We have noticed that in locations where winter wheat nearly always gets winter killed, or at least badly damaged, that the roots of strawberry plants also get damaged, and although they may blossom full and load with fruit, the first breath of an advancing drouth withers them up and away goes the crop; while in better protected locations the drouth would not seriously affect the crop. I believe that a well protected location is of great importance in strawberry culture. Here let me describe to you the location being sought after by Monroe county strawberry growers. They are found in narrow valleys, which open to the east, southeast, or south, and where the adjoining ridges are covered by growing hardwood timber. The advantages of such locations are: First, protection from the sweeping northwest winds of winter, which, on the open prairie, take the covering of snow from the fields and pile it up along the fences or in depressions in the surface. Second, in the protection from the scorching southwest winds which occur during the drouths of summer. Third, the nature of the soil found in such valleys seems to be peculiarly adapted to the wants of the strawberry. Wisconsin abounds in such locations, and many may be found with a clear, sparkling stream of water running through them, which, by an inexpensive dam, might be raised to a level of the surrounding fields, and irrigation be practised with small expense. We believe such locations are to become the future fruit fields of Wisconsin. In regard to cultivation, so much has been said and written on this subject that I will simply say that thorough cultivation pays best. In regard to proper pollenization, I will say that this subject seems to be receiving considerable attention from prominent horticulturists at present, and I believe it should receive careful consideration and investigation from all persons engaged in growing strawberries. In my experience, best results have been attained by using Jessie to pollenize Bubach and Haverland, and Van Deman to pollenize Warfield, and poorest results in pollenizing have been from Michel. While Michel seems to produce an abundance of pollen its season of blossoming is too short for most pistillate varieties. On the third head I will say that our specialty is fruit raising and not plant raising, and consequently we take very little stock in "the best ten varieties." We believe it is a mistake for persons engaged in raising strawberries for market to fruit from ten to fifty varieties as some growers do. In such cases nearly every case of fruit is of a different type, and frequently each box in a case has its individual type. Such mixed-up shipments seldom bring a fancy price in the market, and are generally knocked off as mixed lots. I believe the strawberry grower should make a study of variety, and when he finds the variety best adapted to his soil, location and trade, that variety should be made his main crop, and then the individual cases of each shipment will be "as like as two peas." The trade soon get on to this fact and then if the grower has made a wise choice and gets his berries on the market in proper shape he will meet with an ever increasing demand for his product. With us this variety is the Warfield. We use Van Deman as a fertilizer for the reasons, first, that with us with Van Deman fertilization has always been perfect, and, second, it is of nearly the same type as Warfield, and readily passes in the market as the same variety. Haverland and Bubach have proven very profitable with us for near markets, and are worthy of future cultivation. We notice by the catalogues that a greater number of new varieties are being offered than ever before. We shall try some of them, and expect to depend on the recommendations of this convention in making a choice. STRAWBERRIES FOR 1895. E. J. Schofield, Hanover. Perhaps it would be well for us all to remember that the season of 1894 has been one of the most trying seasons we have had in many years, with the mercury dancing around 90 degrees to 95 degrees in the shade, and no rain and scarcely dew sufficient to moisten the foliage, from June 1st to near the close of the season. Nevertheless many varieties did well for us, and among the forty varieties in fruit of the late introductions, Beder Wood stood the scorching drouth the best of any, and we picked a good crop of good average berries. It was first to ripen (except the Van Deman, which was two days ahead), and continued to furnish good, average pickings until the close of the season; it wound up with the latest varieties. Van Deman did well again. We think much of this variety; it is the earliest good berry on our grounds. It runs its crop in early, sells for a good price and is gone before the other varieties are ripening much. The Splendid we are all pleased with and have no fault to find with it; the plants are perfect and there are plenty of them as well as plenty of berries. The Bissell is a remarkably fine and very heavily rooted plant; berry, very fine, of fine color; immense cropper and a good shipper. Marshall is immense in plant as well as fruit; healthy, moderately vigorous, good cropper for so large a berry. Timbrell has had a big boom but has not proven, with us, to be any better nor so good as some other varieties; berry colored, spotted and uneven. We have been informed by parties, who know it better, that the poor color is the effect of heat and drouth. We find no fault with the plant. Belle (Crawford's 51) is a late variety that did first rate and gives us good satisfaction. Greenville, we believe, is one of the best large pistillate varieties, very vigorous, healthy and productive; quality surpassed by none. Robinson is very promising; productive; good quality. Beverly did remarkably well; the plant is all right; berry, dark, glossy red, firm, holds out well. Smith's Seedling is a good plant. We cannot report on the fruit, as the stock sent us in '93 proved to be Michel. Will have the genuine in fruit next season. Leader: the plant is OK; berry of good size and quality, dark red and fairly productive. Muskingum: plant only moderately vigorous; berry large, in quality next to Greenville. Princess is one of the best large varieties; plant O K; very productive. The berry is not quite so dark colored as we would like. |