FERTILIZING 



237 



Two kinds of mulching material, corn stalks and straw, are 

 shown in figures 165 and 166. 



Cultivation of Strawberries. — The plants respond readily to 

 thorough cultivation. The more tillage given to the patch, the 

 better the plants will grow and the larger will be the yield. Culti- 

 vation in the matted-row is very limited and does not come close to 

 any plant but at the edges of the rows. The soil is apt to become 

 hard and baked as the strawberry takes its moisture from the soil. 

 In regions where grass tends to grow, considerable handwork and 

 hoe work may be necessary. Clean cultivation with no weeds and 

 grass should be the rule. 



Fig. 164. — Strawberries grown according to the hill-row system. The plants in rows in two 

 directions allow of cultivation on all sides of each plant. Cultivation takes place after har- 

 vest when the mulch is removed. (Indiana Station.) 



Fertilizing. — The strawberry plant may be said to be a ravenous 

 feeder. It requires a great deal of nourishment and will respond to 

 heavy feeding. The best form of plant food is supplied by adding 

 barnyard manure. Some soils can be fertilized as heavy as twenty 

 tons of barnyard manure to the acre for the strawberry crop. 



A good plan for applying barnyard manure is to plow it under at 

 two different times before setting the plants. Apply one-half the 

 manure, turn it under, then apply the remainder and turn that 

 under by plowing crosswise of the first plowing. This will incor- 

 porate the manure in the soil well. 



If commercial fertilizers are used, bone meal and tankage are 

 good forms. Many growers give an application of nitrate of soda 



