10 



STRAWBERRY HAND-BOOK. 



row, and also to spread out between the rows. For matted 

 rows only about 7,500 plants are required per acre. Matted 

 rows cannot be cultivated with horse hoes as completely as 

 can the hill set plants, but a much larger number of plants 

 may be massed on an acre. If the soil is very fertile, or 



kept in such con- 

 dition that large 

 quantities of 

 fertilizer may be 

 used, matted 

 rows will pro- 

 duce more 

 berries than the 

 stool system; 

 but, it must 

 be remembered 

 that 100 plants 

 require just 

 twice the water 

 and food neces- 

 sary for a good 

 development of 

 50 plants. By 



Strawberries planted by the matted row system. the matted TOW 



system the plants sometimes increase so rapidly that the 

 entire space is taken by the plants, and frequently they are 

 kept cut back to occupy half the space. The wisdom of 

 the wide rows depends* on the strength of your soil, and 

 your liberality in feeding it. 



