CHAPTER XLII. 

 THE STRAWBERRY AS A FIELD CROP. 



The great extension southward of the culture of the strawberry as a mar- 

 ket crop has made its proper fertilization a matter of great importance to the 

 growers. There is now a regular succession of the strawberry, from the earli- 

 est that come from Florida to the latest that reach the great cities of the 

 North from points north of their latitude. At the distant points the growers 

 are, of course, entirely dependent upon commercial fertilizers for the produc- 

 tion of the crop, and they have found that the strawberry needs liberal feed- 

 ing. Fortunately the soils on which the strawberry thrives best are also the 

 soils on which commercial fertilizers have their best effect. Low, flat lands, 

 where the permanent moisture is not far below the surface, and where the 

 soil is well filled with humus, are always the best soils for the strawberry, 

 and even where they seem less fertile than the dry uplands they will produce 

 better crops of strawberries simply by reason of the presence of moisture al- 

 ways in reach. Not that strawberry lands should not be well drained, but 

 that the soil should have the water table not too far down, so that capillary 

 moisture can always be depended upon. 



MANURIAL REQUIREMENTS OF THE STRAWBERRY. 



As in most fruits and vegetables potash plays an important part in the 

 production of the fruit of the strawberry, while phosphoric acid is the con- 

 trolling factor in the growth of the plants and the maturity and firmness of 

 the fruit. While a due percentage of nitrogen is needed for a luxuriant 

 growth, an excess of this element will be apt to cause the fruit to be soft, and 

 to carry badly. We can see, therefore, that the crop demands a well propor- 

 tioned complete fertilizer in which, with a due percentage of nitrogen there 



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