1 4- Strawberry Culture 



of the most successful growers. Mr. "E. C. Davis, of Massachu- 

 setts, who grows berries as large as big lemons, and has taken 

 more money as prizes than any other man I know of, makes 

 his soil so fine that he can thrust his arm into it up the elbow. 

 His soil is deep, and by making it fine it soon becomes compact 

 and wherever the roots extend they are in close contact with 

 rich earth. The roots extend by adding one cell to another, 

 and growth follows the direction that furnishes the most food 

 with the least resistence. For this reason if the soil contains 

 lumps or cracks they go between the lumps and in the cracks, 

 and are never in close enough contact for the best results. If 

 the soil is firm, the roots penetrate it in all directions and ab- 

 sorb the needed food and drink. A machinist can drill a fine hole 

 through a block of iron or steel, but never through a keg of 

 nails. To get water out of a damp sponge one must squeeze it. 



Fertilizers 



The strawberry is like all other fruit-bearirg plants in that 

 it reaches perfection in proportion as its waiits are supplied. 

 Years ago it was quite common to read of immense crops that 

 had been produced on very poor soil. It is now conceded that 

 good soil is necessary for the best results, or that plant food be 

 supplied. A crop of strawberries removes almost no fertility 

 from the soil; but the plant is made up of rich material, and it 

 needs plenty of fertility to bring it up to a bearing condition. 

 It is hardly necessary to say that stable manure contains all the 

 elements that any soil needs, and, if enough of it can be had, 

 it is rarely necessary to buy commercial fertilizers. There are 

 cases, however, where the latter must take the place of stable 



