816 THE AMERICAN FARMER. 



preparing the land for this crop, the ground should be plowed or spaded deep, at least from 

 six to eight inches, and sometimes two or three times their depth, according to the nature of 

 the soil. 



Care must be used not to throw up the subsoil to the surface, as it will be apt, as a gen 

 eral rule, to deteriorate the quality of the surface soil. It should, however be broken up if 

 of a hard, clayey nature. The land should be thoroughly prepared and made quite rich. 

 An extensive strawberry grower in Connecticut says: 



&quot;The main point to start with, is to have a reasonably good soil, one that will at least 

 produce thirty to forty bushels of shelled corn per acre, well drained, either naturally or 

 artificially, and has been cultivated in hoed crops for at least two years. Would not advise 

 planting directly after potatoes, as they exhaust the potash from the soil, which is of great 

 value to the strawberry plant. Plow deep, and, if possible, use a sub-soil plow. From my 

 own experience I believe it will add at least twenty-five per cent, to the value of the crop in 

 helping to retain the moisture in a dry season, and for a more perfect drainage in a wet one. 

 After plowing, harrow thoroughly with a La Dow, Randall, or Acme harrow, any one of 

 which is worth twice its cost in preparing a strawberry field. By thoroughly, we do not 

 mean once or twice over, but six or eight times, until you think you have done it to perfec 

 tion, and then harrow it over again.&quot; 



Manures and Fertilizers. Various kinds of manures are used with benefit on land 

 devoted to the culture of strawberries, but for many soils perhaps there is nothing better than 

 well-rotted barnyard manure. On lands that are very rich, it is better to use some of the 

 concentrated fertilizers, as barnyard manure will be liable to cause the plants to make too 

 heavy foliage. Bone dust, scattered broadcast and worked into the soil before planting, or 

 when cultivating is excellent for this purpose. &quot;Well-fermented compost, of about four 

 hundred pounds each of ground bone, wood ashes, muck, and marl, applied to an acre, makes 

 an excellent fertilizer. Leaf mould, soil from the woods, decomposed turf, guano, hen 

 manure, superphosphate, and most of the concentrated fertilizers are good, either used alone 

 or applied together, or when mixed with other things in a compost. Hen manure and guano 

 should be used sparingly, and be well mingled with the soil; if the roots come directly in 

 contact with it, they will be injured. 



Time for Setting the Plants. Strawberry plants may be set either in the fall or 

 spring. &quot;When set in the fall rather early, so that the roots may become well established in 

 the soil before the ground freezes, there will be less liability of the plants winter -killing than 

 when set late in autumn ; and when well cared for will frequently produce a small crop of 

 fruit the next summer. Those set out in the spring will not produce many berries the first 

 season, and should not be allowed to bear, but to develop into vigorous plants, which will be 

 less liable to winter-kill than those set in the fall, and with good care will produce abundantly 

 the following year. 



Planting Strawberries. The following directions for planting and cultivating 

 strawberries, from the pen of the well-known nurseryman, Mr. R. H. Haines, of Moorestown, 

 N. J., will be found full of valuable suggestions to growers of this fruit: The quickest 

 method, and an excellent way when planting largely, is to open furrows with a plow at the 

 proper distances, and then, holding the plant with the left hand against the straight side of 

 the furrow, fill in some soil against the roots with the other hand, or with a hoe or trowel. 

 An assistant might then press the soil firmly with his foot against the roots, if not too 

 wet, and afterwards fill up the furrow level, or nearly level, with the surface, again &quot;firming 

 it &quot; lightly. 



A somewhat similar method for the garden is to open holes with a spade at the required 

 distances, with the back of the spade against a garden line, and planting as before, spreading 



