THE STRAWBERRY DECEMBER 1906 



He did so and announced the weight. 

 "Now," I said, "select any one of my 

 baskets and weigh it." He did so, and 

 there were 8 1-2 ounces more fruit in my 

 basket than in the other. "Now," I said 

 to the lady, "you see you pay that higher 

 price not only for select fruit, but you get 

 more of it." She was fully convinced 

 and highly pleased. The grocer then 

 contracted for my whole crop and has 

 bought from me ever since. ' 



Clipping, Comment and Criticism 



By Frank E. Beatty 



'T'HE nature and habits of the strawberry re- 

 ^ quire that tillage be continuous th.ough the 

 season. Down in the crown of the plant are 

 being perfected fruit buds which are large or 

 small, strong or weak as the conditions for their 

 dei-elopment are favorable or unfavorable. 



The strawberry plant requires plenty of mois- 

 ture for its proper development. Weekly stir- 

 ring of the surface soil secures the earth mulch 

 and holds soil moisture for the use of the plants. 

 Not only so, but this continuous stirring of the 

 soil preserves ideal conditions whereby the soil 

 life manufactures plant food, so to speak. 



The bacteria which work upon the elements 

 of plant food in the soil, converting them from 

 an insoluble to a soluble form, play a most im- 

 portant part in plant life. Soil aeration is one 

 of the things required by these bacteria, and this 

 condition in the soil is secured by continuous 

 cultivation. — American Farm World. 



WHOEVER wrote that brigf article 

 knows his business, for if there is 

 any one thing better than thorough stir- 

 ring of the soil by cultivation, it is more 

 cultivation. Strawberry plants easily may 

 be taken through two months of drouth 

 in splendid growing condition by intelli- 

 gent cultural methods. This was clearly 

 demonstrated on The Strawberry farm 

 this season. Where intensive cultivation 

 is consistently practiced, the fruit buds 

 always will be large and fully developed. 



TUST how much work should be done in the 

 " strawberry bed during the late fall depends 

 upon the style of culture, whether it be the full 

 matted row, the narrow row or hedge row, etc., 

 and the taste of the grower. If one's taste is 

 not offended at the sight of weeds; if one does 

 not realize the influence of noxious growths up- 

 on the plants, then the grower may rest in some 

 degree of comfort while the strawberry bed is 

 suffering under neglect. 



There is another factor to be considered and 

 that is the moisture problem. The growers 

 who are fortunate enough to be located where 

 there is an abundant rainfall may smile when 

 we mention moisture, but if they were laboring 

 under the disadvantages of a drouth as we are 

 and have been the whole season through, they 

 would appreciate the situation and understand 

 why we place such importance upon the ques- 

 tion of moisture. A strawberry plant does not 

 ripen its growth and cast its leaves as does a 

 tree or shrub or even raspberry canes, upon the 

 approach of winter, but will, if conditions are 

 favorable, continue building fruit buds and stor- 

 ing vitality against next season's crop of fruit. 



The more we can do to aid the plants in their 

 work the larger will be the crop and tlie greater 

 the profits. — M. N. E. in Michigan Farmer. 



IF cultivation be continued intensively 

 after fruit buds begin building, the 

 power of the plant which should go to 

 fruit-bud development will be checked 

 and useless vegetative growth will pre- 

 dominate, no matter whether the plants 

 are grown in narrow or wide rows. A 

 man whose taste is not offended at the 

 sight of weeds growing in company with 

 his strawberry plants does not possess the 

 taste necessary for a successful strawberry 

 man, and in a few years there wouldn't 

 be enough to "taste" at all, and his rest 

 and comfort would soon come to an end. 



^ 4j^ 



'T'HE purpose of mulching strawberries is to 

 protect them from frost, and is just as great 

 a necessity as cultivating the soil. As to the 

 material to be used for a mulch, I have found 

 that there is nothing to equal good, .sound 

 straw. It admits a free circulation of air, and 

 affords sufficient shade to prevent the too hasty 

 action of the warm sun. The use of fallen 

 leaves is, however, an objection, as they soon 

 decay, and in that state become too compact 

 and smother out the plants. In applying the 

 mulch to strawberries, it must be remembered 

 that it is not done merely to protect the plants 

 from the cold, but also to prevent repeated 

 thawing, and the danger of smothering the 

 plants with too much covering of straw must be 

 guarded against as well as with any other ma- 

 terial. In mulching my strawberries I merely 

 hide the plants out of sight. The time for ap- 

 plying and removing the mulch is better indi- 

 cated by conditions. A suitable time for one 

 part of the country would not be appropriate to 

 another. I apply the mulch to my strawberries 

 about October 15, and remove it about the last 

 of March or first of April. The first freezing 

 of the ground is a good indication of the time 

 to apply the mulch, and when oats are being 

 sown is a safe time to remove it. If the mulch 

 is left between the rows until the picking season 

 is over it will prevent the rain from spattering 

 the berries with dirt and serve as a carpet on 

 which to walk, to kneel and to crawl when 

 picking. — W. H. Underwood in Farmers Voice. 



THIS writer must be a reader of The 

 Strawberry, as his method of and views 

 concerning mulching so closely coincide 

 with those of this journal. And if he 

 isn't then he ought to be, and we cordially 

 invite him to come into a company so 

 congenial as he would find this one. The 

 one comment on what he has to say is best 

 expressed by the word, very emphatically 

 spoken — amen! 



T N California we are not troubled with the 

 ' meadow grass that comes up in the strawberry 

 bed, and pull you never so carefully it is almost 

 impossible not to pull up the runners and even 

 large plants. We are troubled with pursley in 

 most localities and it is such a prolific seeder 

 that the only sure way to get rid of it is to have 

 a box or basket with you when you are weeding 

 and put the pursley in the basket and carry it 

 away from the bed. If you have a pig he will 

 be thankful for it. The crab grass that comes 



P«ge 24S 



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