96 THE STRAWBERRY. 



CHAPTER XIX. 



THE STRAWBERRY. 



IMPORTANCE SPECIES PROPAGATION SOIL TIME OF PLANTING 



METHODS THE HILL SYSTEM MATTED ROW CULTURE MAN- 

 URING WINTER PROTECTION CULTURE VARIETIES GATH- 

 ERING AND MARKETING INSECTS AND DISEASES CROSS FER- 

 TILIZATION. 



The Strawberry is pre-eminently a home fruit. Its early ripen- 

 ing, ease of cultivation, quick returns and large yield per acre, 

 make it one of the most important fruits. It succeeds at the 

 far South and the cold North, as far as any of the common crops 

 can be cultivated, and being readily shipped a long distance, it 

 may be found in our markets from February to August. 



The varieties now under cultivation have originated from sev- 

 eral species of the genus Fragaria. Fragaria vesca is the Euro- 

 pean; F. Virginiana, the common American, and F. grandiflora, 

 the South American Strawberry. These species have become so 

 crossed, intermixed and improved by cultivation, that the typical 

 form of either is seldom seen in cultivated varieties. 



PROPAGATION. The Strawberry naturally propagates itself 

 rapidly by runners, and in case of new or scarce varieties it is 

 sometimes propagated by division of the crowns. 



SOIL. Although it succeeds in a great variety of soils, that 

 best adapted to the production of fruit is a medium, deep, sandy 

 loam, that is not affected by drouth. Upon a heavy, moist soil, 

 the plants tend to run too much to vines and produce little fruit; 

 while in a light soil, more fruit is generally set than the plants can 

 mature, and consequently little or none of it is as good as it 

 should be. 



The most perfect condition for the growth of this fruit is a 

 light soil, with facilities for an abundant supply of water during 

 the ripening period and whenever a period of drouth may occur. 

 These conditions, however, are difficult to obtain. For general 

 purposes a more moist soil should be selected, using fertilizers 

 containing those elements that tend to increase the amount and 



