630 Report of the Department of Horticulture of the 



The absence of humus often accounts for low yields, especially in 

 dry seasons. Fresh stable manure may occasionally be the means 

 of introducing weed seeds into the soil. Applications of from 18 

 to 20 tons of manure per acre are none too heavy and they may 

 often be increased with advantage. 



It is at times advantageous to use commercial fertilizers. The 

 kind and amount to use, the time and manner of application depend 

 on conditions. The applications should bear some relationship to 

 the character of the soil, of the season, of the method of growing 

 the crop and of the variety of strawberry grown. Soils may lack 

 nitrogen, potash or phosphoric acid. Two to three hundred pounds 

 per acre of nitrate of soda or 300 to 600 pounds dried blood will 

 stimulate growth. An excess of nitrogen may cause a rank growth 

 at the expense of fruit. Potash may be supplied by wood ashes, 

 2,000 pounds per acre, or by two to three hundred pounds muriate 

 of potash. Six to seven hundred pounds per acre of acid phosphate 

 will supply any lack of phosphoric acid. Other fertilizers might be 

 named. If the soil is already well supplied with any one of these 

 forms of plant food it is useless to make additional applications of 

 that kind. The need of each soil should be studied and it is desirable 

 to make tests of different fertilizers leaving check rows for com- 

 parison. Fertilizers will not take the place of humus. 



No rule can be given for the proper application of fertilizers. 

 Soils differ in all their properties and the condition should govern 

 the application. Each grower must use his own judgment, based 

 on observation and experience, to determine what to apply. The 

 fertilizer may be applied broadcast in the spring before setting the 

 plants, harrowing it in, or scattered along the plant rows after 

 setting and mixed with the soils by cultivation. If necessary, nitrate 

 of soda may be given the fruiting beds before blossoming time, 

 broadcasting it directly over the plant rows. The foliage should 

 be dry at time of application or injury may result, especially if 

 nitrate remains on the leaves. For second crop beds apply the 

 fertilizer or rotted stable manure along the rows after they have been 

 cleaned out following fruitage. Strawberries do not appear to 

 respond favorably to applications of lime. Some experimenters have 

 observed more or less injury by its use. 



varieties. 



Selection. — A variety may succeed admirably in one place and 

 yet be worthless elsewhere. Under different environments and 

 under unlike surroundings the same variety may change both in 

 plant and fruit habits. Adaptation should be determined before 

 an extensive use in the commercial plantation. Information may be 

 gathered as to what varieties to set — first, by observation of the 

 kinds doing well in the immediate locality under apparently similar 

 conditions and, second, by a trial of a few plants before setting 



