Strawberry Culture if 



so much the better. Land sloping to the west where it receives 

 the last rays of the setting sun is less likely to feel the effects o 

 a frost because it remains warm later in the day and thaws more 

 gradually in the morning. Except in the matter of earliness 

 and lateness, there is little gain in one location over another. 

 Low, black ground where cold air settles and can not get away 

 is apt to be frosty, and should not be used when one has a 

 choice. I have, however, seen excellent crops grown on low, 

 mucky land. By planting late varieties on land with a northern 

 exposure and leaving them covered as late as possible in the 

 spring, and pursuing the opposite course with early ones, the 

 season may be considerably lengthened. 



Other things being equal, land that has been in grass within 

 a year or two is to be avoided, on account of the probable pres- 

 ence of white grubs in it. So, also, is land that has been in 

 strawberries within a year to be avoided if it can be done readily, 

 as it is liable to contain insect enemies or rust spores. If the 

 former bed was known to be infested with some enemy, it would 

 better be planted for a year in crops that require constant work- 

 ing. Where one has land which has been heavily manured for 

 a former crop, it is preferable for strawberries to similar land to 

 which the manure is to be applied shortly before the plants are 

 set. Strawberry land should, if possible, have good atmospheric 

 drainage, that is, it should have lower land near it so that the 

 cold air can run off into the low places. On this account blos- 

 soms will frequently be unhurt on plantations near a deep valley, 

 while on equally high land further back from the valley, they 

 will be killed by a late frost. Steep land which is subject to 

 washing is, however, undesirable, though the atmospheric drain- 

 age be perfect. Land for strawberries should always have good 

 water drainage, either natural or artificial. 



