THE MINNESOTA 



HORTICULTURIST. 



VOL. 35. APRIL, 1906. No. 4 



THE FARMER'S STRAWBERRY BED. 



M. R. CASHMAN, OVVATONNA. 



On almost every farm in Minnesota there is a garden patch 

 where vegetables and small fruits of all kinds are raised. These 

 are generally grown for home use, and any addition to this 

 garden in the way of new vegetables or fruits adds another item 

 to the appetizing charm attributed to the table of the farmer 

 housewife. To the garden rightfully belongs all small fruits, 

 and among the small fruits of this state there is none so delicious. 

 so universally popular and easily grown as the strawberry. Why 

 is it then that on so many farms in Minnesota we fail to find a 

 good strawberry bed, and why is it that so many farmers will 

 tell you that they have had no success in strawberry raising? I 

 believe the chief reason is a lack of knowledge in the culture 

 of the strawberry plant, and on this account it is very often 

 entirely neglected. 



During the past seven years I have had the opportunity of 

 visiting many of the farm orchards and gardens in Minnesota, 

 especially in the northwestern part of the state, and I have 

 failed to find a locality where strawberries could not be raised in 

 . abundance. I mean by this that there are a great many fine 

 patches of strawberries in every section of Minnesota where 

 farming is carried on. There should be a good berry patch in 

 every farmer's garden, and in order to promote this every farmer 

 should know more about this particular industry. 



We all learn by experience, and experience has taught us that 

 in order to be successful we must start out right. I would say 

 to a man contemplating setting out a strawberry bed, select a 

 good location, either in your garden patch or near enough so that 

 it may be fenced in with the garden, and the fence should be so 

 constructed as to prevent stock and fowls from getting in. Very 

 often the garden is far enough away from the barnyard to make 

 a fence unnecessary, and in this event the expense in building 

 the fence is saved. If it is not rich soil make it so by applying a 

 heavy coat of well rotted manure, and be sure that the manure 



