STIIAWBERKIKS. 89 



GROWING AND MARKETING STRAWBERRIES. 



H. DAVEY^ BLAIR. 



In the growing of strawberries there are at least three 

 things very essential : One must have a lilting for the busi- 

 ness and be able to stand disappointment; the right kind of 

 soil well prepared and plants of varieties to suit his soil; 

 and nmrketing conditions. 



In preparing the soil one should commence the year before. 



I like best land that has grown a crop of potatoes or better 



still tomatoes. After taking off your crop of early potatoes 



or tomatoes the land should be sown to rye and then in the 



winter give a good coat of well rotted manure, and when ready 



for your planting plow under manure and weeds, which by 



this time will have quite a start. Disc this thoroughly and 



drag and cross drag until well pulveriezd, and then if possible 



roll it well with good heavy roller, and now you are ready to 



get ready to set plants. I mark rows two feet apart over the 



entire field. Then when ready to set plants I make my rows 



three feet eight and only make them as I set them. I set 



my plants a little different than any one I ever saw set them. 



I had a shovel made about two and one-half inches wide 



and about ten inches long which I attach to a wheel hoe with 



good large wheel and if the land is plowed deep and well 



prepared a man can easily shove this at a depth of five or 



more inches. Two men, and a. boy to drop or carry plants, 



can plant quite a patch in a day. The man that pushes the 



plow can set plants about one-half of the time. You ought 



to be a good Methodist or a member of the Salvation Army. 



I get right down on my knee». With one hand I raise the 



loose dirt and I insert the plant with the other, and pack 



soil well. I suppose there are easier ways than this but I 



never have found one any surer to get a stand. As soon as 



the plants are all set I commence to cultivate both ways. 



For the first time I use a twelve tooth cultivator, then I 



