32 



;.attractive color, symmetrical form, good flavor and an adap- 

 tability to a wide range of climatic conditions. 



Summer care of ground : — Keep all blossoms cut on new 

 set plants as they appear and all runners cut until the plant 

 has become established to send out strong runners. For 

 your fruiting beds where you wish to grow good fruit, have 

 the runners placed around the plant ; plant six inches apart, 

 after they become established cut out the old plant; this 

 does not give good berries if allowed to remain to fruit ; you 

 als6 get rid of a plant that will annoy yoa by sending out 

 rvmners in a place where they are not wanted. Where 

 plants are grown in matted rows little is done in setting 

 runners. In cultivating, always run the cultivator in the 

 same direction so the runners will all be turned the same 

 way. Spraying is of benefit to many varieties having a 

 tendency to rust as this holds it in check. 



The winter protection is a very important one. We 

 are liable to have the ground uncovered so it is always best 

 to cover. This can be done by using meadow hay or other 

 coarse material. I have also used coarse horse manure. I 

 think it best the following spring to let this remain as long 

 as you can without injury to the plants. You prevent the 

 plant from starting early by holding them in check a few 

 days longer, the plant will escape the late spring frosts. 



Marketing the crop. It is of great importance to locate 

 where there are pickers to be had ; one should not grow 

 more berries than he can find help to do the work at the 

 right time. If I have good berries that will admit of sorting 

 I have the pickers use two baskets as they can be sorted 

 better and with less handling at this time. The best are 

 picked in quart baskets and placed in shallow trays only 

 one layer; picked in this way they are carried to Boston on 

 teams which do the work more acceptably than the railroad. 

 I think in time our best strawberries will be marketed in 

 packages similar to what are now used in California for our 

 home or nearby market. 



After the crop is gathered I usually plough the ground, 

 turning in all plants, weeds and mulching. Sow the land 

 at once to buckwheat, or cow peas to be ploughed under 

 when grown. By manuring the land again in the fall I 

 have it ready to set plants again or in in the best condition 

 to grow other crops. Where the strawberry beds have been 

 rkept clear of weeds, no chickweed or sorrel, the beds can be 



