214 



PRODUCTIVE FARMING 



EXERCISE. Studying Apples. In the fall or winter let 

 students each bring to school good type specimens of apples. 

 Let each tell the names of the apples he brings. The col- 

 lection may be studied and the varieties compared so the 

 students will learn to know many of them. At noon or 

 recess on the last day of this study let the aptjles be cut 

 into sections so that they may be sampled as 'to flavor, 

 texture, and value. 



Strawberries. One of the best fruits for home use, as 

 well as for market, is the strawberry. There are not many 

 difficulties in growing this crop successfully. Probably the 



FIG. 110. The hedge-row system of raisin? strawberries. The straw mulch is 

 kept between the rows until after picking time. 



greatest difficulty is in harvesting the crop after it is grown. 

 Strawberries thrive best in a very rich black sandy loam. 



Two Methods of Planting. There are several methods 

 of planting strawberries. Two are here described, (1) the 

 hedge-row system and (2) the matted-row system. In either 

 system the plants may be set in the early spring, or in 

 August if the weather is favorable. In the hedge row system 

 (Fig. 116) the rows are three feet apart and the plants are set 

 two feet apart in the rows. The runners, which all strawber- 

 ries send out, are kept cut off with a hoe or wheel cutter; 

 except that about three runners are placed and allowed to take 

 root between each two plants, making the plants about six 



