2 



/. T. LOVETT, LITTLE SILVER, K J. 



STRAWBERRIES. 



Strawberries give 

 the greatest yield 

 and the largest ber- 

 ries when grown in 

 rich, w^ell-prepared 

 soil. If choice canbe 

 made, select a loca- 

 tion wiiere the soil 

 is moist and deep ; 

 they will, how- 

 ever, succeed upon 

 almost any soil 

 J. if well manured. 

 ^ Avoid the shade of 

 ^. . , . trees. For spring 



Digging Strawberries, planting, the roots 



of the plants should be shortened about one-third, causing 

 them to quickly emit a profusion of new fibrous roots. The 

 operation should be performed with a sharp knife, as sho^vn in 

 Fig. 782, on a handful of plants in the left hand. All straw- 

 berry plants sent out by me are tied in bundles with roots straightened out all one way, so that they are 

 easily handled. See Fig. 786. In planting expose the plants as little as 

 possible to the wind or sun. Do not plant very deep but be sure and press 

 the soil firmly about the roots. Should the weather be warm shade valuable 

 plants for a few days with a handful of coarse litter, etc., over each plant. 

 For hill culture in the family garden set the plants in rows two feet apart 

 and the plants fifteen inches apart in the rows, cutting 

 off all runners as they appear. Or for field culture, 

 where they are to be worked by horse and cultivator 

 and permitted to form matted rows, plant in rows 

 three feet apart with the plants one foot apart in the 

 rows, requiring 14,520 plants per acre. 



The after culture consists in keeping the soil mellow 

 and free from weeds by frequent cultivation. At the 

 approach of winter, as soon as the ground is frozen, 

 cover the rows with salt hay or other loose, light 

 material. Light strawy manure is excellent for this 

 purpose, as the soluble portion leaches into the soil 

 and affords nourishment to the plants. Evergreen 

 branches are very useful for securing the covering in 

 place, and are of themselves a protection. When the 

 plants start in spring rake the mulch from off the 

 plants sufficiently to permit them to grow, and leave 



it on the surface about the plants to protect the fruit and keep it clean, 

 and also to keep the soil moist and cool. When the plants are coming into 

 bearing an application of unleached wood ashes or muriate of potash along 

 the rows very early in spring, just before a rainfall, will be found to increase 

 the' size of the berries. 



The blossoms of all varieties here offered are bi-sexual, or perfect, except 

 those marked with the letter P, which are desti- 

 tute of stamens and are termed pistillate, or imper- 

 fect. See Figs. 779 and 780. Pistillate varieties 

 must have a perfect-flowered variety planted near them 

 to properly pollenize their blossoms, in the proportion 

 of one row of perfect-flowered plants to every three 

 or four rows of pistillates. When thus properly ferti- 

 lized, the pistillate varieties are generally the most 

 productive, and there is really no good reason for the 

 prejudice with which some growers regard them. If 

 but one variety be grown, however, it is, of course, 

 essential that it be a perfect-flowered sort, and not a 

 pistillate one. It is best always to plant at least three 

 varieties — early, medium and late — to expand the sea- 

 son of fruiting to its full limit. 



Fig. 786. 



Fig. 782, 



Fig. 779. 

 PistiUate, or Imperfect. 



Fig. 780. 

 Bi-sexual, or Perfect. 



POSTAGE.— Strawberry Plants arc mailed, t)ostt>aid, at dozen rates, if desired. If ordered at 

 100 rates, to go by mail, add 25c. l>er 100 to the [>rices quoted. At 1000 rates by cx|>ress only. 



