egula 



STRAWBERRY 



rainfall render summer planting ou a large 

 . economic possibility. This, the stiff clay soil 



fall of early autumn, render impracticable. It is hence 

 more economical to reset than to cultivate on the coast, 

 especially as its comparatively subtropical climatic con- 

 ditions tend to produce a vigorous development of the 

 summer- or fall -planted plat by the following spring. 

 But, while the biennial rotation is recommended for 

 the interior of the state, it must not be understood that 

 a new plat is to be established only every two years. 

 The plat runs through two seasons, it is true, but a new 

 one must be set out each year. 



If strawberry growing was commenced in 1899 nnder 

 a biennial rotation, and the planting effected in Novem- 

 ber of each year, the following diagram would illustrate 

 the necessary succession of plats: 



STRAWBERRY 



No. 1, planted November, 



No. 1, fruited lightly spring, 1900 ; cultivated throneh seaso 

 of 1900. 

 No. 2, planted November, 1900, from new purchased plant; 



2 3 



No. 1, fruited main crop, spring, 1901; plowed under Novem- 

 ber, 1901, after resetting No. 3. 



No. 2, fruited Ughtly spring, 1901; cultivated through season 

 of 1901. 



No. 3, planted November, 1901, from runners of No. 1. 





No. 2, fruited main crop, spring, 1902; plowed under Novem- 

 ber, 1902, after resetting No. 4. 

 No. 3, fruited lightly, spring, 1903, and ciUtivated through 



No. 4, planted November, 1902, from l 

 And 



i of No 



indefinitely. In this way, while each plat 

 runs two years, that is, biennially, a new plat is reset 

 every year, that is, annually, yet the rotation must of 

 necessity be termed biennial, though only one market- 

 able crop results. And this would be equally true for a 

 similar rotation where the planting was done in Feb- 

 ruary or March instead of November, although no crop 

 — not even a light one — could be obtained the same 

 spring. Of course, if a plat is reserved for resetting, 

 after it has borne its main crop, it must be cultivated, 

 more or less — at least by hand weeding— to prevent it 

 from becoming too foul during the second summer; but 

 the process of thinning out and the careful cultivation 

 necessary for a crop expected to make a paying return 

 in fruit, are eliminated. 



The triennial rotation is followed when two "main" 

 or "money" crops are secured fn.m a j.hit before its 

 abandonment, and the perenniul >\-i< m \'.lit.-n the plat 

 is suffered to bear as long as it j.imv. ^ inMiiiable. 



The "matted row" system >taiids Mir,-,ssfully the 

 test of practical experience in the South. "Stool cul- 

 ture." liowevtr iierfect or ideal in theory, can be made 

 protiialile oiilv uncler exceptional conditions. Under 

 orilinary circunistances it cannot resist the crucial test 

 of a prolonged drought. h. N. Starnes. 



:of 



the 



that it may li- - mil the 



thousands of <-;ir |..;mi - .■ .i. . . , - h. ,■•:: - :i;mi i:illy pro- 

 duced in those regions arc jiusitixi- proof of it. The Straw- 

 berry did not grow naturally in all sections or soils, but 

 chietly in the moist creek and river bottoms and along 

 the margins of the woodlands. Tlie cooler climatic con- 

 ditions of the mirtlirni c.ii.iii- -iv mure conducive to 

 the growthof wiM Si ! :r' I . I ;. iM>v,' in the South; 



forinstance, till- |ir:iiri' ■: u n.w more thrifty 



and larger berries ili;iii lii- . . i ii\:i-. I'nder cultiva- 

 tion the Strawli. ir\ i^ .-...iii.-\wini ^uliject to the same 

 conditii.n^ a^ \\li. I, -njwiug naturally, but the principle 

 of cnsi r\ ati.iii Mf ] Moisture by tillage has enabled man 

 to dii iiiihh tliat nature could not, in growing Straw- 

 berries. Water is iia.st essential in the culture of this 

 fruit. The soil should not be wet, but it must be moist 

 or the plants will not thrive; nor will they bear fruit 

 abundantly or of good size and quality "with a meager 

 supply of water. During the fruiting season there is a 

 heavy draft upon the plain - i ii \\ nin with which to fill 

 the berries to their prop' , . i > , . iiM>~tof the Plains 



region there is a suflirie! .linfall to produce 



good crops of StrawlieriM ~ ni ,m miii;ii>- seasons, pro- 

 vided proper care be gm u lu tillage. Nearly all the 



failures to grow reasonably good crops are due to ne- 

 glect of this all-important matter. The drier the cli- 

 mate or the season the more heed should be given to 

 tillage. 



The mere setting of plants and giving them ordinary 

 care is not sufficient for the production of a really profit- 

 able Strawberry crop in the open prairie country. It may 

 suffice where the rainfall is not only abundant but regu- 

 lar; but where the rains are fitful and often very scant, 

 especially in the latter part of the summer, this will not 

 do. The "tillage should not be deep, but very frequent. 

 Once each week during the growing season will be suffi- 

 cient. The finer the surface soil is pulverized, the less 

 water will escape from the subsoil, and this is the prin- 

 cipal point to be attained so far as the purposes of til- 

 lage are concerned. Rich soil is beyond doubt one of 

 the prime requisites of Strawberry culture. This is not 

 difficult to find in most parts of the prairie regions. 

 Some of it lies too flat for the best results and some is 

 too steep, but very little is either too stiff or too sandy. 



The Strawberry is especially adapted to field culture. 

 As the Plains country slopes up to the Rocky Mountains 

 the climate becomes drier until there is so very little 

 rain that nothing but a scant native vegetation will grow 

 without irrigation. The soil is for the most part rich 

 enough for Strawberries, and where water is applied in 

 proper quantity as fine berries can be grown as in any 

 part of the humid regions. As a matter of fact, there 



