PRACTICAL GARDENING 



aid in retaining the necessary moisture to ma- 

 ture the crop as well as in giving the root sys- 

 tem a free feeding surface. While the decay- 

 ing vegetable matter does increase the activity 

 of ferments and puts plant food in a condition 

 in which the growing plant may use it, care 

 should be exercised not to add too much ni- 

 trogen in the form of nitrate of soda, which 

 will cause the plant to develop foliage and not 

 fruit. 



If the soil is a sandy loam that has been used 

 for other crops for one or more years, add two 

 or three inches of straw manure (horse or cow) 

 and plow or spade this under in the spring. 

 The manure should be well decayed and incor- 

 porated into the soil so as to prevent the leak- 

 ing out of both water and liquid manure. The 

 strawberry plants should be set as early as 

 possible in order to get the benefit of the early 

 spring rains. 



If the soil is a clay loam, and in sod, add a 

 heavy application of manure and turn the sod 

 under in the fall. Leave the furrows in the 



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