156 



STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE 



FiK. 3. 

 Weak Tbrminai^ Plant. 



The best plants can be secured from fields that have been 

 grown but one year, and which have not as yet fruited. The 

 practice of obtaining plants from old plantations, although 

 used by many persons, is not a good one, as continued fruit- 

 ing- cannot hiii to sap tht- vit,alii\ of iti.- plants ;ini i ne run- 

 ners produced by them will not give as good results as those 

 from young plants. Whatever method of digging the plants 

 is used, whetlier by spade, fork or potato hook, care should 

 be taken that they are not exposed to the drying action of 

 the sun or wind, and as soon as dug they should be placed 

 in basket'^, boxes or bays, anil alt<-r- bninL'' Tnoist'-nf^'t should 

 be put where they can be kept fresh and prevented from 

 wilting. 



Dealers in strawberry plants, when picking up the plants 

 after they have been dug, generally remove the dead or 

 diseased leaves and runners, and at tlie same time straighten 

 out the roots and the remaining leaves. The plants are 

 then tied in bundles or packed in baskets or boxes. Some- 

 times the operation of trimming and bunching the plants is 

 not done in the field as it is found easier to do 

 this in a packing shed, or other place, where the work 

 can be done in the shade and the danger of the wilting of the plants lessened. 

 Even though one is merely digging a few plants for home use, the removal of the 

 leaves and runners and the straightening out of the roots should not be neglected. 

 Sometimes the setting of the plants is necessarily delayed until late in the season, 

 when, if the air happens to be dry, there will be great danger of the wilting and 

 perhaps the killing of the plants from the heat and dryness of the soil and air. 

 Under these conditions it will be advisable to cut off the leaves except one or twO' 

 of the smaller ones, as by thus reducing their surface the evaporation will be 

 lessened. When plants have been purchased and have become dry or heated in. 

 the bundles, it will be advisable to untie the bundles and either place them in 

 water up to the crowns in some cool shady place, or to heel them in, so that the 

 soil will be in contact with roots of each plant, in moist soil where they can be 

 shaded and occasionally sprinkled. In a few days the plants that have not been 

 killed will recover, and it will be possible to rhrow out those that have been spoiled. 

 In this way the labor of planting will be lessened and there will be no vacant places- 

 in the rows from the use of injured plants. 



While it will not be best to pursue this course when large areas are to be set, any 

 one having a small plantation will find it advisable to put out the plants when the 

 condition of the soil and atmosphere favor their growth. If they can be set just 

 before a shower, or as soon as the ground is in suitable condition afterwards, their 

 growth will generally be assured. Some go so far as to recommend the digging 

 of the plants in the early morning, keeping them in a cool, moist cellar until late in 

 the afternoon and then putting them out. Where this can be done there is un- 

 doubtedly a benefit from it, ;is the plants will contain much more moisture in the 

 morning than when they have been exposed to the heat of the .sun during the day, 

 and by planting them in the early evening they will be less likely to wilt the 

 following day than when the planting is done in the morning. 



When the plants are being set, equal care should be taken that the roots are not 

 exposed. If the soil has been so worked that a dust mulch has been provided, the 

 soil that will be in contact with the roots will ordinarily have a sufficient amount of 

 moisture, and watering will not be necessary, but, should the soil be dry, a pint or 

 so of water should be given each plant before the planting has been completed; 

 this will permit of the drawing of dry soil about it after the water has soaked in, 

 and the baking of the soil about the plant, which otherwise might happen, will be 

 prevented. In setting the plants a spade, dibble or trowel may be used, and if the 

 work is properly done there Avill be little difference in the result secured. When 

 the dibble or spade is used, a cut is made in the ground to the depth of 6 or 8 

 inches, and the soil is pressed back in either direction by a side movement of the 

 handle; in the opening thus formed the roots are placed, care being taken that they 

 are not cramped and that they are so spread out that the soil can be brought in 

 contact with each of them. When large plants, with a thick mat of roots are used, 

 this is particularly necessary, as otherwise the soil would only be in contact with 

 a layer of roots upon the outside of this bundle and the inner roots will become 

 dry and the plant will wilt. There is also considerable danger of loss if at- 



