106 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTUKAL SOCIETY. 



STRAWBERRY CULTURE ON A LARGE SCALE. 



J. Z, HERBST, SPARTA, WIS. 



There are no new methods employed in growing strawberries 

 in my section but what are in use in your own state. Twelve vears 

 ago there were less than ten acres of strawberries grown in the 

 vicinity of Sparta. Five years ago there were more than 350 acres, 

 but now there is considerably less, and the acreage is decreasing 

 at Sparta. 



In brief, I will give you an outline of how the work is carried 

 on or, rather, was carried on at the Thayer Fruit Farms, where I 

 have been for the past ten years. 



The soil is made ready for the setting of the plants as soon as 

 we are able to get onto the ground in the spring. It is made fine 

 and mellow after plowing by the use of spading harrow and drag, 

 and by planking if necessary. Some plantations are plowed in the 

 fall and again in the spring, the main object being to get the 

 soil in a fine, mellow condition, so that the plants can be put in the 

 soil in proper shape. Rows are marked off both ways where plants 

 are set by hand, but where the transplanter is used this is not nec- 

 essary. 



Some prefer the transplanter to hand setting, but the majority 

 set with spade. While it takes a little longer to set by spade, still 

 by this method each plant is set exactly the same distance apart, and 

 cultivations can be given both ways for awhile, which saves a good 

 deal of hoeing. Plants are set eighteen inches to two feet apart 

 in the row, according to variety, and the rows are three and one-half 

 feet apart. The slow growing varieties are set closer together in 

 the rows, but those that are strong and vigorous are set further 

 apart in the row. 



Some growers set two rows of pistillates and one of staminates, 

 while others prefer three of pistillate and one of .staminate. A good 

 plan is to set two pistillate and one staminate for ten or fifteen rows, 

 and then set two pistillate and a different staminate for ten or fif- 

 teen more rows. If you are setting two or three acres of Warfield 

 or any other pistillate, use different staminates to fertilize them, 

 using early and late staminates. By this method you catch the early 

 and late blossoms of the Warfields. 



Just as soon as the setting is completed cultivation begins and 

 is kept up at intervals throughout the season, narrowing up the 

 cultivator as the runners increase, the object being to throw run- 

 ners one way and make a matted row. Resetting is done, and run- 

 ners thrown in vacant places to insure full rows. Cultivation is kept 



