VINKYAHD AND SMALL FRUITS. 



is a good thing upon which to practice. Strawberries 

 do well on a variety of soils, but as a rule the deep, 

 moist, loamy soil will yield best results. Boggy or 

 swampy spots, however, should be avoided. It is the 

 common experience that light, warm soils yield the ear- 

 liest and highest flavored berries, and heavy soils the 

 later and larger ones; but the size of the berry depends 

 more upon the supply of available moisture, and im^ 

 mense fruit can be produced on loose, open soils by free 

 irrigation and the application of plenty of manure. Yet 

 the heavier soil, both because of its usually superior fer- 

 tility and retention of moisture, is preferred for the 

 strawberry. 



Plants for setting out are secured by taking off the 

 small growths rooted from runners. The strongest 

 plants are those nearest to the parent plant. They may 

 be set out either in the spring or fall, or at any time 

 when the ground is warm and in good condition. At 

 planting shorten the roots to three inches, and be sure 

 the plants do not become dry while the planting pro- 

 ceeds. It is advisable to carry the plants in a bucket 

 that has water in it. If plants have been received by 

 mail or express, they are invigorated by soaking in water 

 a few hours before planting. 



Preparing the Soil. The first essential for suc- 

 cess in strawberry growing is to plow or dig the soil at 

 least ten inches deep, and during the fall or early win- 

 ter months work in deeply as much composted cow and 

 hen manure as the soil will hold. Have the surface thor- 

 oughly pulverized and graded in the spring so that the 

 water will flow slowly in the ditches. The spring plow- 

 ing should be shallow. There are various ways of lay- 

 ing out strawberry plantations. Some give flat cultiva- 

 tion" and plant in single rows two and a half or three feet 

 apart. Others make low ridges two and a half to three 

 feet wide, while between the ridges is a furrow for irri- 



