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Conditions of Sticcessful Growth. 



The strawberry will succeed upon a variety of soils, but to 

 reach the best results on a given soil, varieties must be selected 

 that grow best on that soil. For most varieties, however, the 

 best soil is a deep medium loam, made rich by the addition of 

 stable manure ploughed deeply under, and the surface well dressed 

 with fine-ground bone and potash, or fine stable manure. An 

 unfavorable soil may often be greatly improved at a little expense. 

 If too heavy and moist, underdraining or the addition of sand will 

 improve its condition:; while if too light and dry, ploughing or 

 spading under a heavy coating of stable manure or other organic 

 matter will enable it to retain more moisture, without which a 

 large crop cannot be produced. New land gives the best results, 

 i. €., that which has been in grass for many years ; but it should 

 not be planted with strawberries until some other hoed crop, lilvc 

 corn or potatoes, has been grown on the land one or two years, 

 to avoid injury from the "white grub" or larvte of the May 

 beetle, which are generally found in such land and would continue 

 feeding upon the roots of the strawberry when the grass roots 

 have decayed. 



Time for Planting. 



The best time to set strawberry plants is as early in April as the 

 land will work up fine and mellow. Never set plants in soil that 

 will cake or dry into hard masses when pressed in the hand. Early 

 in the season plants have but little foliage, the soil is moist and 

 cool, evaporation is much less than when the foliage is large and 

 the sun high, and plants are much more certain to grow than when 

 set later. Summer and fall planting cannot be recommended when 

 the best results are desired. If one has neglected to plant in the 

 spring, it may be better to plant late than not at all, but little or 

 no profit can be expected. 



Setting the Plants. 



Many persons fail to make strawberry plants grow, from setting 

 them too deep, others from too shallow planting, and more from 

 not pressing the soil about the roots firmly enough. The follow- 

 ing figures illustrate these conditions: Fig. 1, the proper depth; 

 Fig. 2, too deep, and Fig. 3, too shallow planting. A test of the 

 proper firmness of the soil may be made by taking hold of the leaf 

 of the newly set plant, and if it is properly firmed the leaf will 

 break off, leaving the plant in position, but if not the plant will be 



