STRAWBERRIES. J 



land deep in autumn, apply the manure in winter or in spring, and 

 then plow the manure under very shallow as soon as may be there- 

 after. The land should then be thoroughly dragged and smoothed, 

 when it is ready for the plants. When so prepared the land has a 

 loose surface bed in which to place the plants, while underneath it 

 the soil is so firm as to retain the moisture and yet it is open 

 enough so that the young roots can push into it. 



Time of Planting.— Practically there is only one time to 

 plant, and that is in the spring. It is occasionally recommended to 

 plant in August. It may be all right to do so in case there is no 

 strawberry bed in the home garden, and there is considerable mois- 

 ture in the ground so the plants will live without too much care, 

 but in ordinary seasons here the results from setting the plants at 

 this time are very uncertain and do not warrant the planting of 

 them on a large scale. If it is decided to set a bed for the home 

 garden in August, the plants may be well-rooted layers from some 

 bed near by, or if obtained from a distance they should have been 

 potted and be well rotted in the pots. The potted plants cost more 

 but are much surer to grow than layers. The growers of straw- 

 berries for profit in this state always plant in the spring. The 

 earlier the plants can be set the longer the season for them lo grow, 

 and the cool, moist weather of early spring seems to favor the for- 

 mation of roots, but they may be set as late as the first of June 

 with fair prospect of success. However, if the land is very dry at 

 planting time it is best not to plant until after a rain, even if wait- 

 ing for it may delay the planting considerably. In this climate it 

 is poor practice to set out strawberry plants for profit in dry soil 

 and try to keep them growing by watering, as so much water and 

 attention is required that the operation will be found a losing one. 



If plants are received when the land is very dry it is the cus- 

 tom of the best growers to open the bundles, shake out the plants, 

 and dip the roots into a clav-loam mud and "heel them in" close to- 

 gether, putting a little soil between the plants. When thus treated 

 they may be easily watered, and will commence to grow and be 

 ready to set out in the field or garden as soon as a favorable time 

 offers. If the space where the plants are heeled in is surrounded 

 by a board fence, or other windbreak, a few feet high, it will aid 

 much in preventing the drying action of the wind. 



Plants that have been some time in transit are very apt to look 

 white and weak when received, and are almost sure to die if at 

 once set in the full sunshine. They should be heeled in and par- 

 tially shaded until they assume their normal color. 



Methods of Planting.— There are many methods of plant- 

 ing but I will mention only two ways, and they may be modified as 

 the good judgment of the planter may suggest. 



Hill System.- This is especially adapted to the home garden. 

 By it the fruit is grown of a larger size than in the matted rows, 

 but not so much is produced. It consists in setting the plants at 

 about one foot distance in rows two-and-a-half or three feet apart, 



