24 BIGGI/E BERRY BOOK. 



HORACE J. SMITH If the manure is mostly green, plow in a 

 good part of it, and do not put so much in on top. Wis. 



The ground should be manured a year before, and cultivated 

 E. M. BUECHLY in some hoed crop, thoroughly killing all 

 weed germs, and thus saving much labor in keeping the bed 

 clean. O. 



SUMMARY REMARKS. 



Nearly all wisely recommend preparing the ground 

 a year or two before the strawberries are to be planted 

 by cultivating to hoed crops and then getting the soil 

 mellow and the weed seeds sprouted and out of the 

 way. Some recommend barn-yard manure, while 

 others prefer some commercial fertilizer ; but I have 

 no doubt it is best to use both ; but the stable manure 

 had better be thoroughly rotted, and should have been 

 well heated and several times turned, so that the hay 

 and weed seeds contained in it will have germinated. 

 However, I do not see how, if green manure be used 

 and plowed under as much as four or five inches, the 

 weeds can sprout and grow to do mischief. This hint I 

 get from Horace J. Smith, of Green Bay, Wis. 



Several recommend turning down a clover sod. 

 Can anybody tell what a clover sod is not good for ? 

 Hale recommends perfect harrowing and a fearful dose 

 of fertilizers, and I guess the more the merrier. He 

 might have added a word in favor of that splendid 

 implement, the Acme harrow. My plan is to apply 

 fertilizers after plowing, and frequently through the 

 fruit season, along the rows, using a two-row distrib- 

 uter made by Spangler, York, Pa. Little and often 

 is a good motto in the application of fertilizers to the 



