THE STRAWBHRRY JUNE 1906 



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Courtesy of The Cul»a Review miil Bulletin, New York 



STRAWBERRIES IN CUBA THE FIELD OF W. P. LADD, SANTIAGO DE LAS VEGAS. 



This field consists of Ihree-quarters of an acre. It comes into bearing before Christmas, 

 and continues to yield for si.\ months, giving its owner a net annual profit of $800 



This simple statement reflects the mag- 

 nitude of the industry that thus can com- 

 mand such accommodation. 



Selection and Preparation of the Field 



By J. B. Graves 



I HAVE been a grower of fruit for more 

 than a dozen years. On my fruit 

 farm I have forty-five acres of grow- 

 ing strawberries. They are my favorite 

 fruit. I take more delight in their culture 

 than in that of any other. They are the 

 easiest and quickest grown, the most de- 

 licious and the most profitable. Then 

 they are as sure to produce a crop as corn. 

 This cannot be said of apples, peaches, 

 pears, plums, cherries, grapes, or any of 

 the other small fruits. 



In writing this article at the request of 

 The Strawberry I shall limit myself to a 

 brief treatment of the selection and prep- 

 aration of the field. The commercial 

 field should be selected with thoughtful 

 care. For best results it should be rich. 

 Land that would yield a good crop of 

 corn or potatoes or cotton will produce a 

 good crop of strawberries. For comfort 

 in working it should be free from rocks 

 and roots, yet in this locality large crops 

 are grown on new ground full of rocks 

 and stumps. To plow and pudge and 

 pick and pack in such land is to put to 

 the proof the practicality of one's piety. 

 For early berries choose a south or south- 



west exposure; for late berries choose a 

 north or northeast. Land is easiest culti- 

 vated if it is nearly level or gently rolling. 

 However, great crops are sometimes grown 

 on steep hillsides. If the land be too level 

 it will not drain well, and at times both 

 the plants and the berries will be damaged 

 by standing water. If it be too steep it 

 will be difficult to cultivate, and heavy 

 rains will wash away its fertility and form 

 numerous gullies. The ideal site is roll- 

 ing enough to drain well and furnish a 

 good exposure, and not enough to wash 

 badly. 



The field should be in course of prep- 

 aration two or three years, growing such 

 crops as will rejuvenate the land and ex- 

 terminate weeds and grass. For example I 

 sowed a field to clover, and kept it in clover 

 three years. In the spring of the fourth year 

 I turned under the sod and planted pota- 

 toes. At the last cultivation I drilled 

 cowpeas between the rows, harvesting the 

 cowpeas for hay. When the potatoes 

 were dug I turned under the cowpea 

 stubble and potato vines, and left in the 

 rough until spring. This spring I have 

 planted it to strawberries and found it in 

 fine condition. Another field 1 sowed to 

 timothy, using the field two years as pas- 

 ture for horses and cows. In the fall and 

 winter I hauled manure from the barn 

 and cowshed and distributed over this 

 pasture as far as it \\ ould go. This spring 

 I sowed it to oats and Canadian field peas 

 mixed. Fhese 1 will harvest for hay. 



Page 13} 



Ths Fertlllier Question. ETerr farmer 



w,,n(rt ti> ktmw .ilmiit lertili/.iuy. Why not eond for 

 biH iiHW Free ciiIali)K'iie of the 



American Manure Spreader 



It Itlla libout the bent Sprfudnr, tuadu iit a Ktyli^s ud<1 5 

 H zw'—8oldOn Trial and On'l'ime. FaireHtHellingphin. 

 ex 'lusively our own. With catalog anc^ booklet, "The 

 V 'liie. Care iiiid Application of Mimuro.'* Write now. 



American Harrow Co,, Detroit, Mich, 



P/VINT WITHOUT OIL 



A remarkable discovery that cuts down the cost of paint- 

 ing 75 per cent. It is the cement principle applied to 

 pjjnt, and produces a fireproof, weatherproof, sunproof 

 and sanitary paint which spreads, looks and wears like 

 oil paint, and costs 'i as much. Write to A. L. RICE, 

 fnfgr.. 598 North St. Adams, N. Y. He will send 

 you free sample, color card and prjce delivered. You 

 can save a good many dollars. Write today. 



Fruit Packages of all Rinds 



Before ordering your supplies 

 write for our 

 Descriptive Catalogue 

 and Price List. 



BERLIN FRUIT BOX CO., 

 Erie Co. Berlin Heights, Ohio. 



Webster Basket Co., 



Manufacturers of the 

 BEST WIRE-SEWED BERRY 

 BASKET ON THE MARKET 



Get our Catalogue and Pricp 

 before ordering elsewhere 



WEBSTER BASKET CO.. 



Bu" 40. WEBSTER, Monroe Co., N. Y. 



B 



EEBE'S SINGLE COMB WHITE LEGHORNS 

 ARE THE BEST HEAVY TESTED LAYERS 

 ^= ' - EGGS - . 



15, $1.00; 20, $3.00; 100, $6.00. 



H. C. Beebe, • Route 5, - Canton, Illinois. 



/ 1APABLR WOMEN ONLY— Opportunity for big money 

 V and valuable, permanent positions. A lady's toilet 

 article more necessary than talcum powder. Write for the 

 Sanadora Proposition tn Women, oflFering an opportunity 

 to earn at least $291 and become State Agent for Sana- 

 dora. Winifred Darrow Co., Three Rivers, Mich, 



O^ VARIETIES of Poultry, Eggs and Fowls for sale on 

 -JtJ short notice. Send 4 cents for catalogue which will 

 give vou prices and descriptions of best fowls and eggs. 

 W. SEIDEL, BoiS, Eleroy, 111. (46) 



riirnOOQ f'n Trial. )J*39 up. $5 down . Pipes etc. only 

 rUMIuuu *:iaroom. Tools free 



sh<»winti; how easy it is. 

 Youngstowii, O. 



Send for free book. 

 Schafer Furnace Co., Box C, 



MICHIGAN FARMS Good improved farms, spleqdidsoil, 



■ fine climate, selling cheap. Write 



for "list I". Benham & WiLCOX, Hastings, Michigan. 



■STRAWBERRY 

 LANDS 



^ 



The most profitable locations for raising 

 str'awberries are in the South, where the 

 ciiuijitt' and soils produce lai-ge crops and 

 where the berry ripens early, so thalitRoes 

 to the markets of the country at the time 

 when the highest prices are obtained. The 

 variuiis sections along the 



SOUTHERN RAILWAY and 

 MOBILE & OHIO RAILROAD 



Are especially suited for profitable berry 

 culture and fruit orcliards and gardens. 

 LHn(is may be obtained at extremely low 

 prices Good shipping facilities tnall mar- 

 kets at rates w'lii<-h encimrage tbe industry. 

 Finest vegetable growing (ippnrtunities. 

 Write the nearest agent fur information 

 abuut desirable locations, lands, etc. 



M. V. RICHARDS 

 Land and Industrial Agent 



Washington, D. C. 



Chas. S. Chase, Agent. 



622 Chemical BIdy., 



St. Louis, Mo. 



M. A. Hays, Agent 

 225 Dearborn Si. 

 Chicago. III. 



