STRAWBEKKY 



In aildition to su)>]ilyiiii,' the lioiiie m.-irki'ts. which ;ii-i- 

 very gt-Kui. f alifuiuia Slr:i\\'hffr\ -;;i-i)\\ t- rs tiuil a ^c.nl 

 outlet for the fniit nil tlirnujih the reijiiiii west of the 

 Missouri river. ISotithern California supi'lies the south- 

 ern portion of this district, while the growers in central 

 California, ehietly near Florin in ISaeraniento count)-, 

 make lar?;v shipments eastward as far as Colorado aiid 



STRAWBEKKY 



174;! 



oil 



2430. The forcing of Strawberries under glass. 



northward to all the ^reat interior states and to Oreij^on, 

 ^Vashing:ton and British Columbia I'efore the locally 

 }j:rowu fruit iu those rei^ions is available. 



The states of C)re2:on and Washington in their areas 

 lyinjj west of the Cascade nn.>untains lia\-e e<niditi(nis 

 excellently suited to the i^rowth of the Strawdierry. 

 Their conditions more nearly resemble those in the east- 

 ern states than any other part of the coast. The cooler 

 weather and more abundant moisture give a better 

 spring season than that of California, l)ut the si-ason is 

 on the whole iiuich shi.>rter because of the longer winter. 

 Irrigation is also necessary iu most places for continued 

 fruiting during the summer. The most famous district 

 is Hood River, Oregon, where arid conditions east of 

 the Cascade mountains are rnoditied by western influ- 

 ences which reach tliriaigli the gap in these mountains 

 where the Columbia river tiows through. Irrigation is 

 regularly emfdoyed and a large comnieridal ]u-oduct 

 grown. The varieties cliieriy grown in this region and 

 in adjacent parts of Washington and Idaho an- id' local 

 origin, the Hood River I Clark SeeiUing) and ."Maiio.m 

 Seedling lieing widely apjiroved. Jessie, Sliartdess, 

 Wilson, Haverlaud, Crescent. Cumberland, ,Tucun<laand 

 Parker Earle are also commended by growers in the 

 northwestern states. " j^ j w„.kson. 



The Forcing of Strawberries Sor a Winter Crop has 



not as yet become vf any great comniercial iiii]>or- 

 tance in North America, yonie gardeners grow a low- 

 potted plants for either Christmas or Easter decoration. 

 Very few, if any, commercial growers are forcing 

 Strawberries exclusively to any ]>rotitable i-xient, 'J'lie 

 few Strawberries that are f(jrced are grown either in 

 pots or planted out on Ijenidies, The former method is 

 the one generally einploved. There are several good 

 reasons for this, seme of which are: first, the contine- 

 nient of the roots ; s.-cond, the ability tn ripen the 

 crowns in the fall: third, the control of" fertilizers and 

 Ui|uid manure; fonrth, the privilege of having the crop 

 grown in several houses at one time or brought from a 

 coolhouse into heat; and fifth, the opportunity to sup- 

 ply particular demand of the potted plants or their 

 fruits. The first exr'euse of the pot metho.l is consid- 

 erably more than when the plants are grown in the 

 benches, but after the jM.ts are once imrcllased the cost 

 of each method should be about the sane-. 



The pot niethi"! as practiced at Corm-ll rniversity is 

 about as follows: As early in the spring as jiossihle 

 large plants are set in well - enriched sni. The hrst 

 strong runners made by these plants are secured and 



110 



< L'- CO- :'.-ilii'h ]iots filled with good 

 1 Ihe lim along the .Strawherry row, 

 lined to these iiots. and a siiiali stone 

 niiincr to koi-|> it fnnii glowing bi- 

 leii the pot is tillrd wilh roots tin 



fl- Ihe parenl slock, the pots lifted 



ittiiig shed or olliei- con\ niiinl place, 

 ley are at once sliirird into llie fniil- 

 (usnally a C.-iiich ]iol ). Th,. soil used 

 meshoiihl be ihree parts fibrous loam 

 of go.id sharp sand. This iiolling 



lid lia\e niixril with it \>( Hour or 



dissolved rock at Ihe rate of alioul oni- pint 

 to two bushels (d' soil. Ani|de drainage 

 should be given, as through the .season of 

 ri|ieniiigthe crowns and the fcdlowing forcing 

 period a large ipiantity of water must lie given 

 and none should be alloweil to stand aronnd 

 the roots. 



The ]iots sliould then be plunged to near 

 the rim in some coarse material, preterablv 

 coal ashes, which, if deep enough to e.xtem'l 

 from four to six inches lielow the plunged 

 pots, will pre\-eiit the earthworms from en- 

 tering the [lots. The use of a frame in 

 which to plunge the pots is recommended 

 for protection against heavy rains or early 

 frosts. Attention to watering is all that will 

 br necessary through the growing season. 

 Late iu Septemher or early in October the 

 pots will be filled with roiits and the plants 

 will have attainod Iheirfull growth. At this 

 time larger and firmer crtiwns will be had by 

 careful attention to wati-ritig and stibscipien't 

 drying off to almost the -wilting stage than by watering 

 the ])latits tl]) to the time of freezing weather. The dr^-- 

 iiig process seems to represent the late fall season and 

 causes the plant to store u]-i material in the crowns ai- 

 an earlier period. At tlie coming of cold weather the 

 soil in the pots may be allowed to freeze. It is very de- 

 sirable that the soil lie on the ilry side before freezing, 

 for if the ball of earth is wet there is danger of break- 

 ing the pots when the cold becomes intense. The period 

 of forcing from the time the frozen plants are brongbt 

 ill until the ripening of the fruits will be about eight 

 weeks. The time will vary slightly under different con- 

 ditiems of heat and sunligiit. When first brought in, the 

 plants should be cleaned of all dead or diseased leaves. 

 The pots should be plunged to near the rim in some 

 material that will retain moisture, e, g., tan bark or 

 coal ashes. The benches or shelves shonld lie as near 

 the glass as convenient. A thorrmgh spraying- ^vitb 



2431. A good winter Strawberry plant in bfoom. 



Bordeaux mixture or some other fungicide should be 

 made at once. For the first few days the house shonld 

 lie held at about .'"f;')°, with little if any rise through the 

 day. After a week a rise of 10° may be given. At the 

 end of the second week 50° at night, with a rise of 10- 

 1,")° through the day, will be about right. 



