2m 
EW TOWNSEND) & SONS SQUARE DEAL NURSERY 
CULTURAL DIRECTIONS 
Strawberries will thrive in almost 
any soil that is not too dry or water- 
soaked, and no crop will respond more 
quickly to good cultivation than the 
Strawberry. Strawberries require a 
great deal of moisture, especially at 
fruiting time. 
PREPARING THE SOIL.—Strawber- 
ries should follow some truck crop if 
possible. We do not recommend plant- 
ing strawberries after an old sod has 
been turned under, too many grubs 
are likely to destroy the plants. All 
sod land should be plowed at least 
a year in advance and sowed to some 
vine crop and manured the fall or 
winter before planting to strawber- 
ries, and then thoroughly worked up 
in the spring, where it is possible: 
land that has been manured a year in 
advance makes the best strawberries. 
We do not recommend heavy applica- 
tion of manure immediately before 
planting, and under no circumstances 
do we recommend the use of commer- 
cial fertilizer directly; under’ the 
plants when set. The fertilizer is like- 
ly to cause the plants to die as soon 
as the sun gets hct. If ferti izer-is to 
be used, broadeast on the land, thor- 
oughly work in the land a few weeks 
before setting plants. The finer the 
condition of the soil at planting time 
the better for the crop. If land is 
hard and cloddy, better roll, also if 
very loose sandy, it is best to roll, as 
this rolling holds the moisture that is 
so much needed at this time. 
TIME TO PLANT.—The fall from 
November lst to March 30th in the 
South plants may be set any time. In 
the Middle States, Mareh and first 
half of April. In the North, as early 
in the Spring as the ground can ha 
worked, the sooner the better. North- 
ern customers should always order 
their plants shipped at least two 
weeks before they expect to set them 
out. The plants should be healed in a 
V-shaped trench after they have been 
unpacked and untied, bunehes opened 
and roots dipped in water. Cover 
with a board to shade the plants and 
they will keep several weeks and be» 
in fine condition to plant when the 
proper day arrives. We ship most 
orders to the far North during the 
last half of April. But some of our 
wisest customers order plants shipped 
during August and September. We 
have as good plants at this time as 
any one in the business, but we can- 
not recommend the planting at this 
time, and do not see where the gain 
is in August planting in the North. 
Everbearing plants set in April will 
fruit just as quick as the August 
and September plants, and much less 
trouble and expense. 
SETTING PLANTS AND MARKING 
OUT THE ROWS. 
After ground is in perfect condition 
mark rows out with any kind of light 
marker, that will not make too much 
of a sink in the ground. 
IF HILL SYSTEM.—Mark rows 30 
inehes apart one way and fifteen 
inches the other and set plants in the 
check with a spade or trowel, being 
sure to get roots down straight and 
fan shaped, firming ground around 
plants hard with the hand or foot. 
Some customers write us they water 
the plants when setting them. Don’t 
Do That! Nothing could be more in- 
jurious to the strawberry plant. 
Under this system, all runner plants 
are kept cut off and only the plant 
you set is allowed to grow. Plants 
grown this way grow to be very 
large and usually meet the 15 inch 
way, and produce more quarts of ber- 
ries per acre than the latter named 
system. It is easy to grow one quart 
of berries per plant under this system. 
A COMMERCIAL TRIAL BED. Every strawbetry grower should have a tria} 
plot, and test out in a small way all the new varieties. This is 
the way we find the BEST for our own soil. 
