15 



In order to have a supply of plants, it seemed necessary for 

 me to occupy some land that hud been in sod the yeiir before. 

 As this sod was very light and the soil free from roots and weeds, 

 I was able to subdue it sufficiently by fall-plowing. But I could 

 not so briefly subdue the white grub, and every day last summer 

 found scores of plants wilting. On taking hold of them I would 

 find every root eaten off, while an inch or more beneath the sur- 

 face, peacefull}' reposing, was the gorged destroyer. Of course 

 you can vent your vengeance on a few, but as to killing them all, 

 in land where they abound, I would refer the reader to Mr. 

 Dudley Warner s experience with " pusley." 



This chief, and it might be added, only formidable, enemy of 

 the strawberr}^, may be found in limited numbers in old gardens 

 and where eveiy precaution hns been taken. When the plants 

 are valuable it is best to dig the grubs out, and usually they are 

 just below the surface early in the morning. 



If it should so happen that one had bought a new place 

 which was all in grass and wished to have a strawberry bed as 

 soon as possible, I would advise trenching, and burying the sod, 

 inverted, in the trenches, at least a foot deep. At that depth it 

 would never grow and would make an excellent fertilizer. Then 

 after enriching the surface he can set out plants and take his 

 chances w^ith the aforenamed grub. 



But as a general rule let sod land have one or two years of 

 thorough cultivation before planting it with strawberries. 



Treatment of Different Soils and their Best 



Fertilizers. 



The practical grower soon finds that different soils require 

 diverse treatment. For instance, suppose one s land is of a light 

 dry, sandy, or gravelly nature. It would be great folly to treat 

 this as one would stiff clay. Here we should use cooling 

 manures and add vegetable matter as fast as possible. 



The cleanings of the coiv-aiable are by far the best, and if 

 horse-manure is used it should be composted ami rotted with 



