.7- 



Thus, plants which ar*? set in late April or very early Hay have a chance 

 to get established before top growth, with its demand for v/ater, begins. 



(3) Varieties. Howard 17 or Premier is still a favorite, particularly on 

 lighter soils. Catskill is an excellent variety v/here soil conditions favor 

 a strong plant growth. The planting may well include both varieties. 



(4) planting systems. Opinions vary as to the ideal spacing of strawberry 

 plantT. The rows should be at least 3,5 feet apart and preferably 4,0 to 

 4.5. plants may be set two feet apart in a row. Many growers use the matted 

 row system; others prefer the spaced runner system. The latter, of course, 

 requires much more hand labor. 



(5) Meed control. A clean bed will facilitate harvest and lessen the amount 

 of rot. 



(6) Mulching . "Putting the plants to bed for the winter" is very important. 

 A mulch of straw applied about the time the ground freezes in November pre- 

 vents deep freezing of the soil and consequent heaving of the plants. Mulch- 

 ing also helps to protect the blossoms to some extent against spring frosts 

 and it helps to keep the berries clean. 



Commercial strawberry growers seldom hold the planting over for a 

 second year's crop. This means planting -a nevif bed each year. Even though 

 weeds have been well controlled, the second crop may be disappointing and 

 the berries are likely to be smaller. 



On a poultry farm where poultry manure is plentiful there is a dan- 

 ger of using this fertilizp.- too liberally. The best amount to use can be 

 determined only by experiment. Certainly it can be used to good advantage 

 as a fertilizer for tue cnv3r crop or vorops to be plov/ed under. This may 

 be the best way to us-e it. Seme, mcy also be plov;ed under or harrowed in 

 before setting the plai-'ts. Under no circumstances should a heavy poultry 

 litter be used as a mulch^ nor r;hou.'.i it be broadcsst over the planting in 

 the spring. Too liber?.] use of poi..'.:i-y manure v:ith its fairly high content 

 of nitrogen will result in more rotten berr.ies. particularly in a v;et season. 



The leaves which a. runner plant develops the first season determine 

 the number and size of the berries it will produce the folloviring June. The 

 successful strawberry grower is therefore interested in growing vigorous run- 

 ner plants the first seac-or. instead of trying to stimulate them into profit- 

 able production the following spring. 



VflNTER FRUIT SCHOOL. The school f-.r commercial fruit growers, held in Amlierst 

 January 21--24, was apparently a oUcoe.T&, Approximately 100 were present at 

 each session, including at leari: 15 rotur.'nsd vete-ans. The large proportion 

 of relatively young grov;ers reflects a forv/ard looking industry. 



Getting a Paper Out is .sometimes fun., but it is never a picnic. If 

 we print jokes^ people .^ay ve are silDy. If v;e dcn't, they say we 

 are too ^erinv.s.. If we clip things from other papers, we are too lazy 

 to write ''en. oarselvfes,. If v/s Ci.jn't. we are roo fond cf our own stuff. 

 If we print ecntributions , the paper is filled wir.h junk. If we don't. 

 We don't appreciate true genius. Now, like as not, someone will say 

 we swiped this piece from some other paper. WE DID, 



