1904.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 33. 155 



Strawberry Experiments. 

 Experiments with stniw])errics, Avhich have been carried 

 on for many years in the department of horticulture, have 

 been continued for the present. This work has been under 

 the direct cliarge of Mr. George A. Drew, and the following 

 notes have largely been made up by him. 



Season and Soils. 



The season of 11M)3 was a disapi)ointment in many respects 

 to strawberry growers. To start with, a number of the early 

 varieties were damaged by spring frosts; then, when the 

 later fruit was about ready to mature, a severe drought set 

 in, lasting practically throughout the fruiting season, and 

 very naturally reducing the yield. 



While disappointing from the conunercial grower's stand- 

 point, the season was not without some instructive features 

 as regards behavior of varieties and the ability of certain 

 soils to retain moisture. Where the soil had been very thor- 

 oughly prepared, and there was an abundance of vegetable 

 matter present, the strawberry plant withstood the dry 

 weather without very serious damage; on the other hand, 

 where the soil was of a gravelly nature, and the amount of 

 vegetable matter limited, the plant easily succumbed to the 

 effects of the drought. 



It cannot be emphasized too much or repeated too often 

 how great a })art thorough preparation of the soil takes in 

 the yields obtained. The strawberry naturally has a very 

 limited root system, and any means that will induce the 

 fibers to penetrate deeper is labor well spent. 



A medium deep loam is, all things considered, about the 

 ideal soil. If one depends on a sandy or gravelly soil, irri- 

 gation facilities must be provided, and, taken one year with 

 another, some system of irrigation will undoubtedly pay. 

 If one does not feel justified in the outlay this would neces- 

 sitate, and one has several kinds of soil to choose from, it is 

 well to select two different types : one gravelly, light and 

 early ; the other more loamy, heavier and later. Then, 

 after a series of years, one could balance up accounts, so to 

 speak, and find which was the most jjrofitable in the long run. 



