280 Strawberry-Growing 



FROST PROTECTION 



The strawberry plant lies close to the ground, where the 

 temperature is considerably lower than in the branches of 

 fruit-trees ; hence, its blossoms are more likely to be killed 

 than those of tree fruits. On the other hand, it has a 

 long blossoming season, especially in the South, so that 

 rarely are all the blossoms killed. The low stature of the 

 plant makes it comparatively easy to protect from frost. 



The amount of damage depends on the time of the frost, 

 its severity and its duration. In the North, if the early 

 blossoms are killed, others will develop, but these are 

 likely to be small and weak. In the South, a new crop of 

 blossoms appears a few days after the first has been 

 destroyed ; the only loss is in delaying the season three or 

 four weeks. Pistillate varieties, as a class, are somewhat 

 more resistant to frost than staminate varieties. No 

 variety is "frost proof. " When a number of varieties are 

 grown side by side, one or two may be injured less than 

 the others ; this may not be due to superior hardiness but 

 because they were not at the most susceptible stage of 

 development. Blossoms are injured most easily when 

 they first expand, and during fertilization. Varieties with 

 long fruit-stalks, which elevate the blossoms well above 

 the foliage, are especially susceptible. A light frost merely 

 touches the apex of the cone of pistils, causing the berries 

 to "button." Buttoning is not due to frost altogether; 

 the tarnished plant bug, dry weather or insufficient nour- 

 ishment may result in buttons. Frost injury is confined 

 to the pistils, which turn black. The stamens and petals 

 are not injured ; the blossom looks normal unless examined 

 closely (Plate X). 



The most practicable method of avoiding frost injury 



