The Home Fruit-garden 371 



THE STRAWBERRY 



This is pre-eminently a home fruit, because it is so easily 

 grown, comes into bearing at one year or less from the time 

 of planting, and produces a large quantity of fruit that is 

 much superior to that which may be found in the markets. 

 All that is required for success is a deep, rich, new soil, 

 thorough cultivation, and a good supply of moisture at the 

 time of ripening. A yield of one bushel of fruit to the 

 square rod is of very common occurrence, while two or three 

 bushels are sometimes produced under the most favor- 

 able conditions. A clover sod turned under makes about the 

 best condition, but the soil should be cultivated at least one, 



aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa 



X a X a X a x a x a x a x a x a x 



aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa 



Fig. 190. 



and better two years with some hoed crop to drive out the 

 white grub, the larvae of the May beetle. Unless this is done 

 these grubs will eat all of the roots on the newly set plants. 

 The land should be made rich by ploughing or spading under 

 manure at the rate of from 10 to 15 cords per acre, and be 

 made fine and mellow before planting. To this amount of 

 manure should be added, at the rate of from i to J ton per 

 acre, any good fruit-fertilizer, and after being thoroughly 

 worked in to the surface soil the plants be set as early in the 

 spring as the land will work up fine and mellow. 



The plants — only young plants with white roots should 

 be used — may be set in rows from 3 to 5 feet apart and 

 from I to 3 feet in the rows, according to the system of 

 growing practised. The best berries, perhaps, and a large 

 quantity of them, will be produced if the plants are set 2 



