THE STRAWBERRY MARCH 1906 



he must be in many other things. The 

 man who too rigidly follows rules in 

 these matters will make a mistake. One 

 must "feel" his way as it were, and learn, 

 by developing a sort of sixth sense, the 

 when and how and why of things. 



The Family Strawberry Bed 



ONLY a few years ago a strawberry 

 bed rarely was seen in a family 

 garden. Onions, radishes and all 

 kinds of vegetables; raspberries black- 

 berries, and all kinds of tree fruits were 

 grown in abundance; but the family had 

 to go hungry for the most delicious of all 

 fruits. 



Each year when the fruit and seed cat- 

 alogues would arrive, and the annual seed 

 order was being made out, the wife plead 

 and the children begged for some straw- 

 berry plants. But there always was 

 some excuse such as, "I don't know how 

 to take care of them," or "the plants cost 

 too much," or "I haven't time to bother 

 with them," or "we can buy berries 

 cheaper than we can grow them," or 

 we can get plants from our neighbor's old 

 bed. 



In many cases the latter was done, the 

 results of course being disappointment in- 

 stead of big red berries. Those who 

 promised to buy their supply of berries 

 hadn't the money when berries were ripe 

 or they didn't have time to go after them. 



Whether the head of the house has 

 run out of excuses, or whether his appe- 

 tite got the best of him, we do not know, 

 but anyhow things have changed. To- 

 day the strawberry bed in many gardens 

 is receiving as much thought and care as 

 vegetables. While driving through the 

 country last summer we observed that 

 the strawberry bed was found to have the 

 most prominent place in most of the gar- 

 dens, and the beautiful green, glossy foli- 

 age shining down the rows, presented a 

 sight worth looking at. 



Just who to give credit for this great 

 change in the family garden from all on- 

 ions and no strawberries to some onions 

 and plenty of big red berries, is hard to 

 decide, but from the way letters are signed 

 that come to us asking for advice and in- 

 struction we judge that the "missus" is 

 entitled to a big share of the credit. 



Plenty of vegetables is all right and is 

 just what every family should have, but 

 all vegetables and no strawberries is all 

 wrong. Like the Irishman who bought 

 two gallons of whiskey and ten cents' 

 worth of crackers. He was asked by his 

 partner what on earth he intended to do 

 with so many crackers! 



Is there anything that goes to make a 

 good meal richer and more delicious than 

 a big heaping dish of freshly picked 

 strawberries.'' Or one of those famous 

 short cakes made by mother? And will 

 the children ever forget such a home.'' 

 We know they will not be like the boy 



who left his home to grow up with the 

 West. While wandering down the 

 street of a Montana town a big sign over 

 the door of a restaurant attracted him. 

 It read: "Coffee like your mother 

 makes." The boy at once thought of 

 home; walking into the restaurant he 

 asked the waiter: 



" Do you make coffee like my mother's?" 

 "Yes, sir; you bet we do!" 

 "Well, gimme a cup of tea!" 

 This boy's mother bought cheap 

 roasted cofFee and boiled it over two or 

 three times. The same conditions result 

 when strawberries are shipped in and lie 

 around the store or commission houses 

 until all their delicious flavor and fine 

 point are gone. 



Now don't be without your own 

 strawberry bed. Make your plans right 



A TYPICAL FAMILY STRAWBERRY BED 



now; see to it that you order plants be- 

 fore they are all sold, and be sure you 

 get the right kind — those that produce 

 the big red fancy fellows. Then when 

 your boy eats away from home he always 

 will ask for short cake like mother makes, 

 and your daughter of marriageable age 

 can eat strawberries instead of onions and 

 the whole family will be made happy — 

 as well as some nice young man of some 

 other family. 



Where garden space is limited, and a 

 separate place can not be given over ex- 

 clusively to strawberries, we suggest that 

 you mark the rows thirty inches apart for 

 the strawberries and set the plants eigh- 

 teen inches apart in the row. 1 hen on- 



ions and radishes may be set between the 

 strawberry rows and all may be culti- 

 vated with the hoe or hand cultivator. 

 Of course, this refers to the first year 

 only; the second year it would not do to 

 plant a.nything else between the berry 

 rows. They will require all the plant 

 food and moisture that is in the soil. In 

 preparing the ground for the family straw- 

 berry bed, scatter a light dressing of ma- 

 nure over it now, and in the spring, as 

 soon as the ground may be worked, turn 

 this under with spade or plow, and work 

 up the manure and soil well together. 

 Find out the number of plants required 

 by counting the number of rows, taking 

 their length and figuring that each plant 

 will be set eighteen inches apart. And 

 order the plants at once, if you would be 

 sure to get the desired varieties. 



The accompanying photo-engraving 

 shows a beautiful family garden, and is 

 the property of a bank clerk, who finds 

 great delight in working in this patch out 

 of business hours. It is needless to say 

 that this gentleman and his family have 

 all the big red strawberries, fresh from 

 the vines, required for their own use. 



C. W. GURNET 



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