J. T. LOVETT, INC., LITTLE SILVER, N. J.— STRAWBERRIES 7 



Strawberries 



Fairly good strawberries can readily be grown upon any ordinary garden soil, but if large, fine berries 

 and a generous yield are desired, fertilizing material of some kind must be used freely. Almost any kind 

 of fertilizers will be found useful, but well-rotted stable manure and finely ground pure bone meal are 

 among the best. Prepare the soil by spading or plowing deeply, then level and thoroughly pulverize the 

 surface with a rake or harrow. 



For hill culture, in the family garden, set in rows two feet apart and the plants a foot apart in the rows 

 cutting ofiF all runners as they appear. For field culture, to be cultivated with a horse and hoe-harrow, the 

 plants to be 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.) 



When the plants arrive, take them from the package and place the roots in the soil with tops level with 

 the surface: or loosen them up in the package and place the package and plants in a cool, moist place, until 

 they can be planted. Do not pour water upon them and leave them in the package, as this will cause them 

 to decay quickly. Before planting, shorten the roots one third, as this causes them to emit a profusion of 

 new fibres at once when planted, and in planting take but few plants from the trench, or package, at a time 

 and expose the plants to wind and sun for as short a period as you conveniently can while planting. Place 

 the plants only as deeply in the soil as they stood before they were dug, and be sure to press the earth 

 firmly about the roots. Plant early for best results; failures are almost always due to late planting. It 

 aids success in planting to place the plants in a bucket partly filled with water, and to drop them from 

 it as they are being planted; especially if the soil is dry at the time or the planting is done upon a windy 

 day. Should the weather be warm, it is well to shade valuable plants with a handful of coarse litter, or a 

 quart berry basket (old stained ones are as good as any for the purpose), over each plant, for a few days. 

 Remove the blossoms as they appear, with scissors or with thumb and finger, the first season after planting. 

 The after culture consists in keeping the soil mellow and free of weeds by frequent cultivating and hoeing. 



In late autumn or early winter, when the surface of the field has become frozen to a depth of two or 

 three inches, cover the errtire bed with a mulch of salt-meadow hay, or other loose, light material, to a 

 depth of about two inches. Strawy stable manure is an excellent mulch; as the soluble portion leaches 

 into the soil and gives nourishment to the plants. Evergreen boughs are useful in holding the mulch in 

 place and are themselves a protection. When the plants "start" growth in spring, rake the mulch from off 

 the plants sufl5cient!y to permit them to push through it, and leave it between the rows, or about the plants, 

 to conserve moisture and to keep the fruit from becoming spattered with earth and sand by dashing rain 

 storms. An application of nitrate of soda, broadcasted along the rows at blossoming time (being careful 

 not to permit any of it to come in contact with the foilage) will increase the size, beauty and flavor of the 

 berries. 



The blossoms of all cultivated strawberries are either bi-sexual (perfect) or pistillate (imperfect). 

 All the varieties offered in this catalog have perfect blossoms, as I have discarded all varieties having 

 pistillate or imperfect blossoms. 



It is best, unless the ground to be planted is of very limited extent, to plant at least three varieties 

 — early, midseason, and late, that the time of fruiting may extend over a period of several weeks. 



Never order less than a dozen plants of a variety, as a proper test cannot be made with a less number 

 than this. 



The growing of Strawberries has been a leading feature of the Monmouth Nursery for nearly forty 

 years. It has always been my policy to test every variety of promise that was offered for sale and to discard 

 each one as soon as it developed any serious defect as all varieties are sure to do sooner or later; hence, 

 those offered are the "survival of the fittest;" and I believe to be the best varieties in commerce to date. 



It is with pleasure I am able to state, the root aphis of the Strawberry that has been and is still so 

 destructive in many parts of the country (especially in Delaware, Maryland, and Southward) has never 

 reached the Monmouth Nursery; and I sincerely hope it never will. I am extremely vigilant in guarding 

 against its introduction into my grounds and I would advise all Strawberry growers to be on the alert for it;, 

 for if it once gets a foothold, the results will be serious. 



Varieties of 

 Strawberries 



Strawberry plants will be mailed at dozen and 

 hundred rates if cash is sent for postage as per table; 

 but shipments at thousand rates are made by 

 express only. 



All varieties offered have perfect blossoms. Do 

 not order less than a dozen of a variety; as a proper 

 test cannot be made with a less number. Fifty of 

 a variety will be supplied at the 100 rate and 500 of a 

 variety at the 1,000 rate. Less than fifty of a 

 variety must go at the dozen rate and less than 500 

 of a variety at the hundred rate. 



ABINGTON.— Although a perfect flowered va- 

 riety, it equals the prolific Bubach in yield, is 

 brighter in color and much firmer. Plant of vigorous 

 habit with clean, healthy foliage; berries are so large 

 and attractive and the plants so very prolific it is a 

 variety of great value — especially for market 

 growing. Ripens in midseason. Dozen, 25c.; 100, 

 60c; 1,000, $4.00. 



BAERYMORE 



