12 Strawberry-Growing 



to anchor the roots of the plant while the grower nourishes 

 it with commercial fertilizers. 



In the Gulf states, dark pine land is considered well 

 adapted for strawberries, if suJQBciently rolling to carry 

 off surface water but not steep enough to wash. The 

 retentive, marly clay table lands of central Mississippi 

 have been found well adapted for this crop. In the 

 Chattanooga district, shaly or gravelly ridges are pre- 

 ferred. Throughout the Southern states very rich soil 

 is avoided; it produces sappy, over-grown plants, and 

 the berries do not carry well. In the Pacific states, the 

 heavier loams and light clays are preferred to sandy 

 soils, because they are more fertile, more retentive of 

 moisture and produce larger crops. This is especially 

 true where irrigation is practiced; sandy soils require 

 much water. 



A survey of soil preferences in different parts of the 

 continent discloses the fact that more strawberries are 

 grown on a sandy loam underlaid with clay than on 

 any other soil type. The demand for early berries has 

 had much to do with this choice. The most popular 

 strawberry soil in the northern and central states is 

 a gravelly loam with clay subsoil. Heavy loams, silts 

 and light clays are preferred for late varieties in the 

 East and are used very generally on the Pacific coast 

 for all varieties. 



QUALITIES OF GOOD STRAWBERRY LAND 



The prevailing practice has been indicated in the 

 preceding paragraphs. Some of the qualities that 

 make a soil suitable for strawberries now will be con- 

 sidered. 



