STRAWBERRY— LOCATION— SELECTION OF VARIETIES 



1915 



a northern or eastern exposure should 

 be selected, as the ground is cooler, thus 

 retarding the blooming period and giving 

 more moisture. 



Irrigation 



Since irrigation is such an important 

 factor in the procuring of large berries 

 the location should be carefully consid- 

 ered. It is very essential that the ground 

 be thoroughly pulverized and leveled be- 

 fore planting, as this is an important 

 factor in irrigation. Level land is usu- 

 ally given the preference by most grow- 

 ers, but slightly elevated places can be 

 utilized to good advantage by planting 

 on contour lines. The irrigation furrows 

 can be run in such a way as to prevent 

 washing of the soil. Strawberry growers 

 in the Hood River valley, Oregon, are 

 meeting with remarkable success with 

 this system. Steep grades should be 

 avoided. 



Transportation 



Proximity to shipping stations, if 

 berries are grown for distant markets, or 

 the nearness to local markets if catering 

 to the local trade are points to be con- 

 sidered in selecting a location for a berry 

 plantation. Strawberries cannot stand 

 rough treatment, and if hauled a few 

 miles over a poor road usually reach 

 their destination in poor condition. If 

 the grower intends to go into the bus- 

 iness on a commercial scale and expects 

 to grow berries for distant markets it 

 is well to locate where there are com- 

 peting lines of transportation. This usu- 

 ally enables him to secure cheaper rates. 

 A perishable product like the strawberry 

 cannot be grown too far away from the 

 place of consumption unless special 

 means, such as ice refrigeration, has 

 been secured to stay its ripening process. 



SELECTIOIV OF TARIETIES 



What the Market Prefers 



The selection of the proper varieties 

 Is an important question to the one con- 

 templating the growing of this fruit. His 

 success depends largely upon this, as 

 many varieties are quite local in their 

 requirements. The grower must also de- 

 cide whether the berries are to be grown 



for market, home use, or for the can- 

 nery. The shipping quality of the fruit 

 is of prime importance when growing 

 berries for the market. Some varieties 

 are fine shippers, though not of the 

 best flavor and quality, but no trouble 

 is experienced in disposing of them. In 

 growing berries for this trade they should 

 be firm, regular in form, possessed of 

 pleasing color, and large. The well-se- 

 lected berries always bring the best 

 prices in the market. "My observations 

 are that most people prefer a dark red 

 berry and one that is red to the core, 

 as it generally has the best fiavor."$ 



For Home Use 



When growing berries for home con- 

 sumption it is well to select those that 

 will ripen their fruit in succession 

 throughout the season. This will enable 

 the farmer to be well supplied with de- 

 licious berries during the summer. Par- 

 ticular attention should also be given to 

 the bearing qualities of the fruit when 

 selecting for home use. Some varieties 

 are prolific bearers, but are very poor 

 shippers. The flavor, size, and color are 

 also points that should be borne in mind 

 when selecting varieties for the table. 



For the Cannery 



The canneries prefer a berry that is 

 firm and red throughout. Those that 

 are soft and fall to pieces after being 

 put up are not desirable to grow for this 

 trade. Varieties grown for the general 

 market are very good for canning pur- 

 poses. 



Fig. 1. Brandywine. 



t Mr. J. E. Butler, Lewiston, Idaho. 



