THE STRAWBERRY MARCH 1906 



tinue the cultivation until the first heavy 

 frost, because this method stimulates a 

 larger vegetative growth and helps to 

 maintain a better balance between fruit 

 and foliage. As to cutting runners, none 

 should be allowed to take root after you 

 have your row filled in according to the 

 system in which you intend to grow them. 

 If you are growing in a single-hedge row 

 the cutting of runners should begin after 

 your plants have made a continuous single 

 row. If by the double hedge, then allow 

 runners to grow a double line of plants. 

 If the narrow-matted row has been 

 adopted, allow enough plants to set to 

 make the row twelve or fifteen inches 

 wide. But where this last system is fol- 

 lowed, no plants should set closer than 

 six or eight inches to each other. Closer 

 than that would result in producing small 

 berries, just as corn would produce small 

 ears if planted too closely. 



2. Certainly you should grow only 

 strong, plants; never permit weak ones to 

 occupy the ground, but always set strong 

 ones in their stead. A weak, puny plant 

 is like a weak animal; it will use up food, 

 but give nothing in return. 



<^ ^ 



E. E. K. , Brownwood, Tex. — I believe I un- 

 derstand your double and single hedge row 

 of planting, but do not know how far apart 

 the rows should be set. West Texas is very 

 dry and we must depend upon irrigation. 



When growing strawberries in single 

 or double hedge systems the rows should 

 be from three to three and a half feet 

 apart. By making a furrow directly be- 

 tween the rows and allowing the water 

 to run in this, the water will percolate 

 through the soil, traveling from one soil 

 grain to another, dissolving the stored-up 

 plant food as it travels. The plant roots 

 will reach out for this moisture, which is 

 charged with plant food. This process 

 indicates that there are more advantages 

 in irrigation than that of supplying mois- 

 ture only, and where irrigation is done 

 berries always should be grown either in 

 single or double hedge rows. 



A. J. S., Kalamazoo, Mich. — 1. Is the 

 Gandy a later berry than the Sample or 

 Aroma, and if so how much later? 2. What 

 variety should be planted along with the 

 Gandy? 3. I now have one-half acre of 

 Sample and Aroma on a black loam with clay 

 sub-soil that was thinly fertilized with stable 

 manure last spring before setting plants. 

 Would any fertilizer put on this coming 

 spring be a profitable investment for the com- 

 ing crop? 4. How late is it profitable to 

 hold plants back in the spring by mulching? 



1. The Gandy is several days later 

 than either Sample or Aroma, but the 

 two latter have a longer fruiting seaso.i. 



2. Gandy and Aroma go well to- 

 gether, as Gandy, being deficient in pol- 



len, is amply supplied when planted near 

 Aroma. 



3. Your black loam should give a 

 profitable crop of Sample and Aroma 

 without any extra fertilizer, considering 

 that the ground was well manured before 

 plants were set. 



4. The length of time which plants 

 may be held dormant by mulching with 

 safety will depend somewhat upon the 

 season. If spring opens up with bright 

 sunshine and warm rains, it will force the 

 plants into growing. When this is done 

 the callous on the root is bound to burst, 

 and from each break in this root a feeder 

 will start. This will force the foliage 

 into action and if the mulch is not re- 

 moved it will cause the plant to bleach 

 and become tender. Ordinarily plants 

 may be held from ten days to two weeks. 



G. W. D. , Durant, Miss.— Will the Dornan 

 strawberry thrive in this locality, and what 

 time will it ripen here? I should like to have 

 a berry to follow the Klondike. If the Dor- 

 nan will not do, what variety would you rec- 

 ommend? 



The Dornan has become a standard 

 variety and we get excellent reports of its 

 performance from all parts of the country. 

 If grown in the double-hedge row and 

 properly handled, we see no reason why 

 it should not suit your purpose, as it 



would ripen its first berries just when the 

 Klondike is closing up its season. The 

 Aroma and Gandy are very popular vari- 

 eties in the South. Both of these will 

 give fine results and should be mated. 



Mrs. J. J. S. , Superior, Wis. — Please tell me 

 how to prepare a leaf-mold compost to be 

 used for my strawberry bed. 



First a layer of leaves should be placed 

 about six inches deep. Cover these with 

 a good grade of soil. Over this scatter 

 manure to the depth of about two inches. 

 Repeat this until you have the amount of 

 compost required. 



R. C. A., Loveland, Colo. — Have a plot of 

 ground about twenty by sixty feet; it has been 

 heavily manured for two years, especially for 

 high-tension strawberry culture. I want to 

 make this do all it will, and our soil will grow 

 fine berries. Think some of putting tiling 

 under for sub-irrigation. Will this pay? 



As Colorado is strictly an irrigation 

 country, we see no reason why sub-irri- 

 gation would not pay, provided an ade- 

 quate quantity and an even distribution 

 are secured by the construction of your 

 system. Indeed, if we may judge from 

 the excellent quality of fruits grown in 

 the sub-irrigated districts of California, 

 you will be likely to get a much better 



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Page 68 



