THE STRAWBERRY AUGUST 1907 



a crop at will, has discovered the addi- 

 tional fact that the midseason varieties 

 producing large fruits and yielding an 

 abundant crop, are preferable to either the 

 extra-early or late varieties. At the time 

 Bulletin 134 was written, a variety called 

 Bederwood was considered one of the best 

 for forcing, although the berries were only 

 of average size and of rather light color. 



Further testing of many kinds led to 

 the discovery of t)ther varieties that forced 

 as well as Bederwood, 

 had larger, more uniform 

 and higher colored fruit, 

 and ripened practically 

 all the berries on each 

 plant at the same time. 

 Among these are Mar- 

 shall and Glen Mary, 

 the lormer a strong- 

 growing, perfect-How- 

 ered variety yielding a 

 large quantity of fertile 

 pollen and producing 

 fruit of extra size and of 

 a very attractive color. 

 Glen Mary has nearly 

 all the characteristics of 

 an ideal forcing berry, the only fault being 

 that the first flowers to open are almost 

 without stamens, and pollen must be sup- 

 plied by another variety. If this is done, 

 the berries set readily and swell rapidly. 

 The plants make fine crowns and vigorous 

 root growth and thus are able to absorb a 

 large amount of liquid manure when the 

 fruit is swelling. 



President is another variety of recent 

 introduction that has proved of exceptional 

 value for forcing. It is a true pistillate, 

 and, contrary to our past experience with 

 such varieties, is equal or superior to any 

 staminate form yet tested. The habit of 

 growth is all that could be desired in a 

 forcing berry. It is 

 stocky, has big crowns 

 that ripen early in the 

 fall, a strong deep root 

 gr.'Wth, anJ iruit of 

 extra -large size and 

 fine dark red color. 

 Each fruit is well col- 

 ored over the entire 

 surface, and is with- 

 out the objectionable 

 green tip. [he flow- 

 ers of this varieiy re- 

 main open for several 

 days, which means that 

 if cloudy weaiher intervenes, pollenization 

 may be delayed until sunny weather. 



A minimum amount of pollen is re- 

 quired to set the fiuiis "Inch swell rapid- 

 ly and ripen evenly after setting. "I'l.e 

 berry of this variety is lirmer than Mar- 

 shall or Glen Mary aiul may be shipped 

 to market much e.isier. The foliage, 

 while of the large type is not heavv enough 

 to shade the fruits, making it a desirable 

 variety to grow either tor table decoration 

 or where invlividual plants are required to 

 be set before each guest at dinner parties. 



This method of serving strawberries is 

 very popular, and well-grown plants bear- 

 ing from four to six high-grade berries 

 command high prices. In our local mar- 

 ket they have sold for one dollar a plant 

 and will sell in a large city for from two 

 dollars to two and one-half dollars at 

 Easter time. The accompanying cuts 

 show habit of growth and, to an extent, 

 the fruitfulness of this variety, although 

 the first and largest berries had been picked 



FIGURE I THE BEGINNING OF GROWTH IN THE COOL HOUSE 



from each plant before the photograph 

 was made. 



At this writing, it is considered that the 

 three leading varieties for forcing are Glen 

 Mary, Marshall and President, each pos- 

 sessing merits of its own. 



Growing the Plants 



At the time of writing Bulletin 134, it 

 was thought necessary to give the plants 

 several shifts between the two-inch pot 

 that was plunged to receive the runner 

 and the frui'ing pot; but it was soon found 

 that with care in handling through the 

 summer, one shift from the two-inch pot 



FIGURE 2 APPROACHING THE RIPENING PERIOD 



direct into the six-inch fruiting pot gave 

 as good results as more frequent shifting. 

 This saves the labor of at least luo shifts, 

 and allows ro t growih so continue unin- 

 terriipteJly. 



Rooting the Runners and Handling the 

 Plants 



The practice nov\ is to plunge two inc'- 

 pots filled with ricli soil along rows of 

 virgin plants, i. e , runners that were set 

 early the same season which have never 



Page 170 



borne a crop of fruit. Then the first and 

 strongest runners from these plants are led 

 over the pots and as soon as they are well 

 rooted and established in the pots they are 

 cut off from the parent plant, the pots 

 lifted and taken to a convenient place where 

 the plants are at once shifted into the fruit- 

 ing pots. 



At this final potting, a soil is used con- 

 taining a large proportion of sandy fibrous 

 loam. If not of light texture, sand should 

 be added in the propor- 

 tion of one to four. To 

 this mixture is added a 

 four-inch potful of dis- 

 solved rock or ground 

 bone and a three-inch 

 potful of muriate of pot- 

 ash to every four bushels 

 of soil. Good drainage 

 and firm potting are ab- 

 solutely essential and 

 the latter is secured by 

 using a potting stick to 

 pack the soil m each pot. 

 After potting, the 

 plantsshould beplunged 

 to the rim in coal cin- 

 ders or other cool material and if protected 

 by a frame will need less attention in water- 

 ing than if unprotected. After plunging, 

 water thoroughly once, then hold water 

 from the pots as much as possible without 

 allowing the soil to become entirely dry — 

 until roots have well started from the first 

 ball of roots — then water as needed until 

 the pots have filled with roots. After this 

 time water but little, giving the plant the 

 same general ripening period it has in the 

 field, thus insuring a large "tat" crown 

 filled with buds. 



On the approach of winter, protect from 

 the first few sharp frosts; and when the 

 plants become dormant, protect from snow 

 until they are wanted 

 in the house. Other 

 things being equal, a 

 plant that has a long 

 period of rest and has 

 been frozen hard will 

 g^e better results 

 when forced, although 

 it is possible to obtain 

 some good fruit from 

 pl.nnts that have but a 

 short rest. Only in the 

 matter of one shift in 

 place of three has econ- 

 omy in handling been 

 found. Each successi\e stage needs great 

 care and close attention. 



Forcing the Plants 



Care regarding temperature is of first 

 importance through the entiie giowing 

 season whether the plants are in beds or 

 in pots. Starting with dormant plants taken 

 from the cold frame, heat should be raised 

 gradually from thirty to forty-five degrees 

 by the end of the first week, increasing 

 the heat until the plants are in bloom, 



