Mr. Harris in his catalogue marks first and best, American
Wonder, and also says, "For the main crop there is nothing better
than the Champion of England." My own experience would lead me to
plant the Tom Thumb either just before the ground froze in the
fall, or as early in March as possible. It is almost perfectly
hardy, and gives me the earliest picking. I should also plant
Henderson's First of All as soon as the frost was out, on a warm,
well-drained soil. For second crops, American Wonder and Premium
Gem; and for the main and most satisfactory crop of all, Champion
of England. The Champion requires brush as a support, for it grows
from four to six feet high; but it is well worth the trouble. I
plant the other kinds named because they are much earlier, and so
dwarf as to need no brush; they are also productive, and excellent
in quality if not left to grow too old. For the dwarf kinds the
soil cannot be too rich, and the warmer the ground and exposure,
the earlier the crop. For the tall late sorts the soil may easily
be made too fertile; they should also be planted in cooler,
moister, and heavier ground. In the case of the dwarfs I put a
fertilizer in with the seed as I have already explained. Cover the
dwarfs about two and a half inches deep, and the tall late sorts
from three to four inches according to the nature of the soil.
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