1928 



ENCYCLOPEDIA OK PRACTICAL HOUTICULTURK 



I'upk 



As the strawberry is delicate, perisli- 

 able fruit, it must be handled with the 

 best of care from the time of picldiiR until 

 It reaches the ronsumer. The following 

 rules are therefore laid down for pack- 

 ers and are complied with to the letter 

 under the supervision of an expert in- 

 spector: 



Each packer Is registered under a num- 

 ber and furnished with a stamp, which 

 is placed on each crate packed by him, 

 and he is held personally responsible for 

 the proper grading and packing of the 

 fruit. 



Each box is packed with berries as uni- 

 form in size as possible, and the face ber- 

 ries must not misrepresent the contents 

 of the cup. Cups must not be filled with 

 5x5 and capped with 4x4. 



Berries brought in from the field must 

 be emptied out by the packer on a sieve 

 constructed of wire or cloth, in order to 

 allow the sand and dust to fall away from 

 them. 



Each cup is packed without bruising 

 the fruit, so that there will be no settling 

 of the berries. 



The top of the box is faced with berries 

 16, 20, or 25 size. 



Cups are filled so that top layer will 

 show three-eighths of an inch above the 

 top of the cup. Berries must not extend 

 over the side of the cup. 



The cups are carefully placed in the 

 crate, u.sing a sheet of paper to cover the 

 fruit and keep out the dust. The lid is 

 put on, dividing the space between the 

 outside and the center of the crate. 

 Cleats are used on all crates and the lid 

 is nailed on through the cleat, 



STR,VW»ERRY ( IITrRE IN THE 

 IMGET SOIM» (OUNTRY 



The basin of Puget Sound comprises 

 that country between Canada and the 

 southern boundary of Pierce county, 

 Washington, and between the Cascade 

 range and the Olympic mountains. 



Soils 



The contour is generally rolling and 

 frequently cut by deep valleys. The soil 

 Is quite variable throughout, generally of 



glacial deposit. Considerable of this is a 

 composition of gravel and clay, supplied 

 with humus which proves excellent straw- 

 berry land. In some places, however, the 

 soil is so thoroughly washed that nothing 

 but gravel remains and the land is unfit 

 for agricultural purposes. An example of 

 this tyiie of soil is found in the prairies 

 immediately south of Tacoma and about 

 Steilacoom. There are considerable areas 

 of lake-bed deposit which, with the delta 

 formations of the river valleys, are of silt 

 and loam composition, which is very fer- 

 tile and well adapted to strawberry grow- 

 ing. Most of these lands are new and 

 well supplied with humus. Owing to the 

 damp climate, potash is quite deficient. 

 The heavier soils and those which have 

 not been sufficiently drained are more or 

 less sour and require applications of lime. 



Climate 



The climate of the Sound country is 

 humid throughout. The winters are mild, 

 with considerable cloudy weather and 

 very little ice or snow. The summers are 

 moderately warm, with cool nights. 



Precipitation 



The annual precipitation varies from 

 25 inches at the north to 55 inches at the 

 south extremity of the Sound, being 35 

 inches at Seattle and 45 inches at Ta- 

 coma. Seventy-five per cent of the rain- 

 fall occurs during the months of Novem- 

 ber to April, inclusive. 



Irrigation 



Thorough cultivation conserves sufft- 

 cient moisture without irrigation in prac- 

 tically all localities. There are, however, 

 a few instances where sandy soils are 

 benefited by light applications of water 

 during the summer. 



Districts 



As in other sections of the country, the 

 strawberry plantations of this section are 

 generally within easy access of the cen- 

 ters of population. This is so, primarily, 

 because of the convenience in securing 

 hel]) for the harvest. The islands and 

 near shore lands show the greatest de- 

 velopment by this industry, probably 

 owing to the favorable influence of the 



