Rotations, Manuring and Fertilizing 57 



twenty tons an acre is considered sufficient on average 

 soils. Market-gardeners close to city stables, where 

 manure can be secured for fifty to seventy-five cents a 

 ton, make very heavy applications. Henry Jeroleman, 

 of New Jersey, uses "at least sixty one-horse loads of 

 manure to the acre each season." 



Manure is broadcasted and harrowed in ; this is prefer- 

 able to plowing it under, unless it is very strawy. Non- 

 heating kinds, as cow or hog manure, may be scattered 

 in the planting furrow. Only about one-half to one- 

 third as much poultry manure should be applied to the 

 acre as of horse manure. If used as a top-dressing on 

 growing plants, it is likely to burn the foliage. For this 

 purpose, mix one part of manure with three parts of soil 

 or muck. 



Use of lime and ashes. 



The wild strawberry plant thrives in acid soils. Many 

 cultivators have observed that the domestic varieties are 

 somewhat impatient of lime. In 1912, W. J. Wright 

 reported experiments in Pennsylvania which showed 

 the superiority of unlimed soil.^ A Florida grower ad- 

 vises : " Never use lime or land plaster ; it is poisonous 

 to the strawberry." On the other hand, F. E. Beatty 

 cites experience in Michigan, Indiana and Iowa, which 

 shows that moderate liming of acid soils is quite beneficial.^ 

 It is evident that lime should be used sparingly if at all, 

 unless needed to secure a maximum growth of the legumes 

 in the rotation. 



Unleached wood ashes once were used extensively. 

 They were harrowed in before planting at the rate of 



1 Proc. Sci. Hort. Sci., 1912, pp. 9-14. 



2 Market Growers' Journal XI (1912), p. 266. 



