184 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



SMALL FEU ITS FOR 1904. 

 NOTES ON THE STRAWBERRY. 



BY L. R. TAFT AMD M. L. DEAN, 

 Bulletin No. 213. 



Although the strawberry thrives under a great varietj' of conditions, it does best 

 upon a moderately heavy, sandy loam or a light clay loam soil. While an abund- 

 ance of moisture is required for the best results, care should be taken to have the 

 soil fairly well drained so that water will never stand upon the land and the soil 

 will dry out quickly in seasons when showers are frequent. For the purpose of 

 supplying plant food as well as keeping the land uniformly moist, it should con- 

 tain a considerable amount of humus, and there is no better way of fitting land 

 for this crop than to turn under a heavy clover sod. The use of liberal amounts 

 of stable manure is also advisable, but if it is not thoroughly decomposed it is 

 advisable to apply it one year in advance and use the land for some hoed crop. 

 Thirty or forty-two horse loads per acre can often be used to advantage on the 

 average soil. As a partial substitute for the manure, good results will be obtained 

 from 50 to 100 bushels of unleached, hardwood ashes. If there is a fair amount 

 of humus in the soil profitable returns can often be secured from the use of com- 

 mercial fertilizers as a source of plant food. Many of the mixed complete fertilizers 

 sold by the manufacturers for the purpose, will be found very satisfactory. An equal 

 amount of plant food, however, can generally be secured for a much smaller sum 

 and one will be more likely to obtain what is ordered if the chemicals are obtained 

 and mixed on the farm. By mixing from 100 to 200 pounds of nitrate of soda, 200 

 to 300 pounds of muriate of potash, 200 to 300 pounds of ground bone and 200 to 

 300 pounds of acid phosphate, an excellent fertilizer will be produced for one acre 

 of land. After the land has been plowed and thoroughly dragged it should be 

 rolled if the soil is loose. After rolling it would be a good plan to loosen the 

 surface with a smoothing harrow. 



The distance for setting the plants will depend a good deal upon the method 

 of culture. If to be grown In hills, the distance may be 24 inches each way or the 

 plants may be set 36 by 12 to 15 inches. This method, however, is only desirable 

 for the fancy trade and with a few varieties. Ordinarily the plants are set in 

 rows from 3^2 to 4 feet apart and from 2 to 3 feet in the rows. This will make it 

 possible to cultivate the land both ways for a number of weeks and thus save con- 

 siderable hand labor. One objection to setting the plants closer than this in the 

 rows is that they will, under favorable conditions, soon fill in the rows and if the 

 runners are not cut off they will be turned in either direction by the cultivator and 

 taking root, form a thick mat. 



Some growers of fancy fruit advocate planting in double rows using about 32 

 inches in the wide spaces and 16 inches between the double rows, or there will 

 be a double row of plants set 16 Inches apart, once in 4 feet. These plants are 

 cultivated in the ordinary way except that for working between the double rows 

 some of the shovels are taken out so as to permit of working both sides of a row. 

 When this method of culture is used it is quite desirable to carefully layer the 

 plants and then cut off the surplus runners that form. 



Early spring is the best time for setting out strawberry plants and strong, 

 vigorous plants should be obtained from a plantation set the previous year. It is 

 advisable to use the first or second plants formed upon the runners and reject the 

 weaker plants at the end. However, the soft, succulent, overgrown plants are 

 more likely to be checked in transplanting than the tnedium-sized plant of firm 

 texture. The land can be marked out with a corn marker and the plants set with 

 a spade or dibble. Care should be taken to have the crowns just above the surface; 

 the roots should not be too closely matted together, but should have the soil 

 pressed firmly about them. During the first year they should receive frequent 

 cultivation and an occasional hoeing will be desirable. The blossom buds should 

 be pinched out as soon as they appear and after the plants have begun to form 

 runners the cultivation should be in but one direction. Where fancy berries are to 



