Oct 2, 1920.] Agricultural Gazette of N.SM. 731 



Strawberry Culture around Sydney* 



L. GALLARD, Fruit Inspector. 



Of the side-crops grown by orchardists there is none (providing conditions 

 are favourable) wliich gives better returns for the amount of time and money 

 expended on it than the strawberry. That only a small area is required for 

 the cultivation of the crop should add to its popularity — a quarter of an acre 

 of strawberries well cared for will often yield over £60 in one year. To 

 obtain such a return a good deal of attention is naturally called for, but 

 the work is light and can be performed by women as well as (and often 

 better than) men. Tims the thrifty wife and the younger members of the 

 household can often substantially add to the family income. 



The first two essentials for the profitable cultivation of strawberries are (1) 

 a good water supply, and (2) ready means of access to market; a north- 

 easterly aspect is desirable, and a sandy loam with a clayey subsoil is the soil 

 most suitable, but b )th of these poiats are quite secondary in importance 

 compared with water supply. I have seen really good beds of strawberries 

 even in lind with a westerly aspect, though it is wise to pick a slope which 

 will catch as much of the morning sun as possible. As for soil, if sandy 

 loam is available certainly choose it. Such a soil produces the brightest 

 coloured berries, gives ihe best root service — thus enabling the plants to 

 assimilate all the nutriment put into the land — and is much more easily 

 worked. Black soil will grow plants all right, and in many cases will do with 

 less artificial manure, but it sets down very hard after watering, and is 

 difficult to work, while the berries grown on it are darker than those grown 

 on sandy loam, and laok their lustre. 



Newly cleared bush land is preferable if it can be procured — such land 

 does not produce many v/eeds, and does not need so much manure — but the 

 prospective grower who cannot procure just the sort of land he wishes need 

 not be discouraged so long as he has the water supply. If his soil is not just 

 suitable, he can loosen it by dre-isings of stable manure or bush rakings ; or 

 strengthen it with fertilisers, provided he has the water to enable him to get 

 the good out of the fertilisers at the right time. Without the water, fertilisers 

 are uncertain in their effect . 



Strawberries can be grown profitably almost anywhere between Sydney 

 and Hornsby, provided the land chosen is not so far back from the railway as 

 to make marketing inconvenient. From North Ryde to Epping is a very 

 popular district on account of its city water supply and its proximity to 

 market. Growers in this district can pick their strawberries every day, and 

 run them into the market in the morning on their own carts, quite fresh 

 and sound. This gives them a decided advantage over others who are situated 

 at greater distances from the city. 



