STRAWBERRY HAND-BOOK. 



THE growing of strawberries has become quite an 

 important industry in almost every section of the 

 United States. The reasons for this are plain. The 

 strawberry is a plant that can be made to grow profitably 

 on almost any soil; it is sure of a ready market, which, on 

 account of a growing demand, continually enlarges so that 

 there is no serious danger of overproduction, and it is a 

 money crop coming very early in the season, when a little 

 money "comes in handy" before money is received from the 

 other crops. It is not difficult to grow strawberries, but it 

 takes knowledge and experience to get a steady and fair 

 profit. Every place has its peculiar local conditions of 

 climate and weather. It is impossible to make rules to fit 

 all these conditions, but a careful reading and consideration 

 of the following pages may help the grower or farmer to 

 adapt measures to his own conditions. One thing should 

 always be kept in mind: Take pains. If you do that you 

 will make a success of strawberry culture. 



Selecting the Soil. The strawberry plant can be grown 

 on most soils. Perhaps the best land naturally is a dark 

 sandy loam. Any soil which will produce a good corn crop 

 will make good strawberry land. A rather light soil, 

 loamy, is certainly preferable, but natural conditions may 

 be greatly modified in the desired direction. An open, 

 well drained soil, of even texture and kept free of weeds, is 

 just the thing. To a very considerable extent, even heavy 



