1904.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 33. 155 



Straavberry Experiments. 

 Experiments with straw) )erric,s, which have been carried 

 on for many years in tlie department of liorticultim^, have 

 been continued for the present. This Avorlv has been under 

 the direct charge of Mr. George A. Drew, and the following 

 notes have largely been made up by him. 



Season and jSoUs. 



The season of 1903 was a disappointment in many respects 

 to sti-awberry growers. To start with, a number of the early 

 varieties were damaged by spring frosts ; then, when the 

 later fruit was about ready to matiu'e, a severe drought set 

 in, lasting practically throughout the fruiting season, and 

 very naturally reducing the yield. 



While disappointing from the commercial grower's stand- 

 point, the season was not without some instructive features 

 ?is regards behavior of varieties and the ability of certain 

 soils to retain moisture. Where the soil had been very thor- 

 oughl}^ prepared, and there was an abundance of vegetable 

 matter present, the strawberry plant withstood the dry 

 weatlier without very serious damage; on the other hand, 

 where the soil was of a gravelly nature, and the amount of 

 vegetable matter limited, the plant easily succumbed to the 

 eftects of the drought. 



It cannot be emphasized too nuicli or repeated too often 

 how great a part thorough preparation of the soil talies in 

 the yields obtained. The strawberry naturally has a very 

 limited root system, and any means that will induce the 

 fibers to penetrate deeper is labor well spent. 



A medium deep loam is, all things considered, about the 

 ideal soil. If one depends on a sandy or gravelly soil, im- 

 gation facilities must be provided, and, taken one year with 

 another, some system of irrigation will undoubtedly pay. 

 If one does not feel justified in the outlay this would neces- 

 sitate, and one has several kinds of soil to choose from, it is 

 well to select two different types : one gravelly, light and 

 early ; the other more loamy, heavier and later. Then, 

 after a series of years, one could balance up accounts, so to 

 speak, and find which was the most profitable in the long run. 



