FRUIT ON THE FARM. 275 



tice the restriction recommended. If the matted row system is 

 followed, it will pay best to plow up the bed after one crop, as 

 it is cheaper to plant a new bed than to clean out an old one, 

 but if the hill system is adopted, three crops may be profitably 

 grown from one planting. 



It is wise in strawberry culture to begin with a limited area 

 and increase as you learn what varieties are suited to your soil, 

 and how best to manage and dispose of the crop. If the hill 

 system is followed, it will be necessary to have nursery beds for 

 growing plants ; and to make sure of enough, I would advise 

 that one thousand plants be set in the nursery bed for each acre 

 you intend planting the coming year. In a good season this 

 would probably produce four times as many plants as would be 

 needed, but in a dry, unfavorable season, less plants would be 

 produced, and it is better to have a surplus than to fall short. 

 If there is a great abundance of plants, enough can be taken up 

 without disturbing the rows, and a crop be gathered from the 

 nursery beds, and this will enable you to compare the matted 

 row and the hill system. Every successful strawberry grower 

 can sell more or less plants, and often he finds a good income 

 from this source, and it is well to always provide a surplus. 



If intending to set out a plantation of strawberries, I would 

 advise that you manage to have the land in clover the preceding 

 year; cut the first crop for hay, and plow down the second 

 growth in July, and seed heavily with buckwheat. When the 

 buckwheat blooms, plow it under and then top dress the bed 

 thoroughly with manure that has been composted, so that you 

 are sure there is no seed in it that will grow. In the spring 

 work the bed till it is perfectly fine and mellow, and then mark 

 it both ways perfectly straight. For this purpose you will need 

 a light sled marker which a man can draw and mark three rows 

 at a time. You will need two sleds of different widths for this 

 purpose, but they can be cheaply and easily made. Stretch the 

 garden line to start with, and walk backwards in marking and 

 you will have no difficulty in keeping the rows straight. 



When ready to plant have plenty of help. One man will 

 take up plants as fast as two can trim and prepare them, and 



