The Canadian F^^orticulturist. 



169 



STRAWBERRY CULTURE FOR BEGINNERS. 



HE prospective strawberry grower should not set plants from 

 an old exhausted bed ; neither should he set strawberry 

 plants at all, unless he can and will give them proper care 

 and culture. The selection of varieties is always a difficult 

 problem for the beginner, and is a problem to which, owing 

 to varying soil and climatic conditions, no one can give 

 him the exact solution. It is a safe rule, however, to make 

 a selection from among the standard varieties, avoiding high-priced novelties. 

 Those wonders at $2 per dozen will either be much cheaper or quite forgotten 

 in a year or two. You cannot go very far wrong if you select Haverland, War- 

 field and Crescent for main crop, with one-third as many of Beder Wood, Wool- 

 verton and Lovett's Early for poUenizers, with perhaps Gandy and Parker Earle 

 for late varieties. Then by adding a few new ones each year from among those 

 most highly recommended by growers, and discarding such as prove undesir- 

 able, you will soon have a selection difficult to improve upon. Set on land well 

 manured for the preceding crop or crops, using bone and potash liberally at 

 time of setting and nitrate of soda at such times and in such quantities as the 

 plant growth might warrant ; but plenty of good stable manure thoroughly fined 

 and incorporated with the soil, with a liberal application of wood ashes, will 

 come nearer meeting ordinary conditions, and will bring no disappointment at 

 picking time if all other requirements are met. The broad matted row system 

 gives the largest yield, and if not allowed to mat too thickly, the berries will be 

 of good size and quality ; but remember that surplus plants in a row are quite as 

 bad as weeds, perhaps worse, because they are usually unsuspected robbers. I 

 would recommend setting a new bed each spring, ploughing the old one imme- 

 diately after picking the first crop, though some find a second crop profitable. 

 As to marketing, get a good supply of clean baskets and crates, see that your 

 berries are carefully picked and that the baskets are well filled, get up as good 

 a team as you can afford and don't forget to spruce up a little yourself, for the 

 larger part of your dealings will be with the ladies. Then if you have raised 

 some nice berries and offer them at a reasonable price, the question of marketing 

 will soon solve itself. Master all the details by reading the best authorities, 

 begin in a modest way, enlarge gradually, and if after picking one or two crops, 

 you find yourself fairly in love with your berries, go ahead. But if your efforts 

 result in straggling rows wherein lurk a few puny berries lost in a tangle of grass 

 and weeds, you cannot quit too soon. -Farm and Home. 



Always pick your flowers earl\ in the morning, if pt).ssil>lc, you will find 

 they will keep better than those gathered at midday. Rosis will h;t\r to l>r cut 

 ;il diff«.Tcnt times, but avoid cuttitii,^ when the sun is jipt, 



