THE STRAWBERRY MARCH 1906 



1905. But now came that same rainy 

 weather as in 1896 only this later season 

 was much harder — cold and rainy, and 

 hail and winds. But still I was rewarded 

 with a big crop of fine fruit from my two 

 acres. 



But now! Ah! the big beauties I now 

 raise — how do they exceed the highest 

 expectations of the barefoot boy! Their 

 general excellence and their fine flavor far 

 and away surpass those of the wild berry 

 of the old time, while the yield is some- 

 thing tremendous. All that I can say is 

 that my start was unsatisfactory — only be- 

 cause I didn't know how. Now what I 

 am doing is in every way satisfactory, and 

 I know that actual results far exceed my 

 highest hopes. More than that, I am 

 confident that there are greater possibili- 

 ties in strawberry production than we yet 

 have attained. 



Stockholm, Wis. 



Overflow Question Box 



HERE are a few questions that came 

 in too late to get into the regular 

 department, and so we place 

 them in the "Overflow." Please get 

 in your questions as early as possible. 

 You will .see that they are increasing in 

 number. 



Mrs. A. L. H., Fitchburg, Mass. TYi Feb- 

 ruary Strawberry at hand and it is a gem — 

 just a little better than the January number. 

 My strawberry plants did not make as good 

 growth last summer and fall as usual. What 

 kind of dressing can I put on this spring to 

 bring about desired results? We have about 

 three-fourths of an acre, mulched with horse 

 manure. What kind of fertilizer and how 

 much? 



We should apply fifty pounds of ni- 

 trate of soda to the acre just as growth 

 starts in the spring. Scatter this along 

 the rows; be careful that it does not get 

 on the plants. Repeat this application 

 just before the buds open. Both of these 

 applications should be put on just pre- 

 ceding a rain. It will be unnecessary to 

 apply nitrate of soda where the stable 

 manure has been employed. 



W. R. A., Alliance, Neb. I am interested in 

 Mr. Walsh's winter strawberries (see January 

 Strawberry) and desire to ask: 

 1. Should the first runners in the spring be 

 saved to transplant? 2. What is the best 

 time to transplant? And if transplanted in 

 October, as Mr. Walsh did, what time in the 

 winter should they have ripe berries? 3. 

 Would not shelves in the form of stair steps 

 be as good and cheaper than earthen pots? 

 4. Would the plants be good for more than 

 one year. 5. Should any of the blossoms 

 be removed and if so, how long? 



1. No. 



2. The best time to transplant is 



early in September, and the best way to 

 do it is to take six-inch pots, fill with 

 good rich earth and set by mother plants; 

 layer good strong runners into the soil in 

 the pot and lay a small stone on them to 

 hold into place. Let them remain in 

 the field until the first light frost; then re- 

 move to the house. As a rule they will 



PARTING THE MULCH FROM OVER THE ROWS 



Aj^HEN growth starts in the spring, you should go 

 over your fruiting beds and part the mulch 

 from directly over the row, so that plants may come 

 up through the opening thus made. This is best 

 done with a common fork, as shown above. If this 

 work is not done in time, there is danger that the 

 plants will bleach and become tender. 



Start fruiting from the first to the middle 

 of January. 



3. If you use boxes on shelves you 

 should transplant plants from the field 

 into them the first of September, leaving 

 considerable dirt on roots when trans- 

 ferring. 



4. These plants will fruit for one 

 year only. 



5. Do not remove any blossoms; give 

 plants plenty of water and a little weak- 

 ened liquid manure once a week, but 

 never apply this manure while the ground 

 is dry; always put water on the plants 

 first. 



E. H. I., Chicago, 111. — How early in the fall 

 should I mulch my strawberries, and to what 

 depth should thsy be covered? 



In Illinois, where the ground freezes 

 to a great depth, mulching should be 

 done after the first light freezing, and 

 covered to a depth of four or five inches. 

 Where mulching is used so heavily as 

 this, it will be necessary to part this 

 mulch from over the row somewhat ear- 

 lier in the spring than where plants are 

 more lightly covered. If this is not done 

 there is a possibility of bleaching the 

 plants. 



J. S. C, Battle Creek, Mich. Please state in 

 your next issue of The Strawberry what you 

 consider the most valuable form of box and 

 crate that may be used for strawberries? 



The Hallock quart boxes always have 

 been very popular in this state. The 

 wax-lined paper baskets also are coming 

 greatly into vogue. There are many 

 manufacturers of strawberry boxes who 

 are making first-class goods, and all have 

 loyal patrons who consider the ones they 

 use best suited to their needs. It would 

 be quite impossible to say which is the 

 best; indeed, it is doubtful if the dis- 



'jKe^aylor I (omtination r fjarrow 



TWO TOOLS IN ONE 



nPHEbest harrow on earth because it puts the soil in ideal condition at less cost 

 ^ than any other. Once over the ground with the Naylor Combination will 

 prepare the soil in much better condition than twice working with any other, and 

 it is easily drawn by two horses. <I| The spring teeth dig deep down, thoroughly 

 mixing the soil; the spike teeth pulverize and level the soil, and leave it a perfect 

 seed bed. Each harrow has eighteen spring teeth and forty-two spike teeth. Two 

 levers enable the operator to adjust the teeth to any desired position. Just the 

 thing for orchards and berry farms. 



In the f&II of 1905 the Naylor Harrow was severely tested on 23 of 

 the best farms in St. Joseph county. Mich., and 22 of these farm- 

 ers purchased them-'-a record unequalled by any other harrow 



Don't buy a harrow until you know all about The Naylor Combinatiom 

 Write me today and I will tell you all about it 



FRANK R. FISHER, box 5, MOOREPARK, MICH. 



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