PREPARING NEW STRAWBERRY BEDS. 



WITH the coming of spring, 

 comes the preparation of 

 new plots of strawberries, 

 such as digging and trim- 

 ming, when not purchased, and setting 

 them in the prepared beds. 



There are so many simple details con- 

 nected with the work, that many are 

 inclined to slight some of them, to the 

 detriment of the plants. One of the 

 most important ones is the preparation 

 of the soil. I neveryet saw a piece of land 

 too well fitted, but I have seen a great 

 many which were very poorly prepared. 

 My first lasting impression of this work 

 was when a small lad, I had to hand- 

 rake my father's beds several times over 

 before he ever set a plant, and the 

 thoroughness of this work was one of 

 my parent's hobbies, if such it may be 

 called, for I used to wonder why I had 

 to work over the soil so many times 

 when it seemed as though another time 

 over was only time lost. 



The success which always attended 

 my parent's labor was amply rewarded, 

 for I cannot remember he ever had a 

 failure in starting his beds. 



With our improved machinery, it is 

 not necessary that we do so much hand- 

 labor now, but in the absence of such I 

 would surely resort to it. 



When I first started in the fruit busi- 

 ness, I only had a light spike-tooth 

 drag and a plow, I made me a plank- 

 drag, or some call it a float, and used it 

 in connection with the harrow ; by this 

 process I was able to secure a finely 

 pulverized surface in which to set my 

 plants. 



If one uses his own plants for setting, 

 he should be sure they are only one year 

 old, and were not taken from beds which 

 had previously borne fruit, for whenever 



a plant matures its seed a portion of its 

 vitality is gone with it, much to the de- 

 triment of the young plants. 



I always plant a few rows separate for 

 propagating purposes ; these plants are 

 never allowed to mature seed, and so 

 by careful culture, I am able to main- 

 tain a high standard of plants, which I 

 would not get if I allowed the other plants 

 to bear. 



The method of setting is quite im- 

 portant, and a great number of valuable 

 plants are lost, either through careless- 

 ness or ignorance. 



It is as fatal to set too deep as too 

 shallow, for the new leaves must have a 

 chance to push out to the sunlight that 

 they may breathe for the plant, as they 

 are the lungs, being the organs through 

 which one of the most valuable elements 

 of the plant is obtained. 



If set too shallow the roots are apt to 

 be exposed so that the moisture which 

 they should convey from the soil to the 

 plant, is evaporated into the air and 

 death soon follows. 



After a bed has been successfully set, 

 to keep the plants growing continually 

 throughout the season, is no small mat- 

 ter. The same fine soil should be main- 

 tained by using a fine tooth cultivator 

 and a garden rake. 



I cultivate my beds once or twice 

 thoroughly, as it may be necessary, and 

 then pass along the rows with a garden 

 rake, and work the soil level and fine as 

 when first set. This is no great job, as 

 some may suspect, as I can go over an 

 acre a day. 



This process is continued throughout 

 the season, or until new runners get too 

 numerous to use the rake, then we use a 

 narrow-blade hoe. 



It will greatly lessen this work, if the 



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