THE W. F. ALLEN CO., SALISBURY, MD. 



will protect the ground during the winter and leave it nice and mellow for spring 

 planting. The soil should be constantly enriched by turning under green crops, 

 legumes preferred. Avoid, if possible, sod land, as the white grubs winter over in 

 such lands and cut off the young plants when set the following spring. If you 

 have no other land available, plow the land in the fall, harrowing it as often as 

 you can, and many of the white grubs will be killed out. 



In some sections where large acreages are planted, a small three furrowed list 

 or row is run up with a plow and then leveled off with a rake or drag. This gives a 

 nice, soft planting bed, but unless the ground is quite moist, the rows should be 

 run up two or three days before planting to allow the moisture to rise, and then 

 rake off just before planting. Plowing, harrowing thoroughly, and marking off 

 rows is the best for small fields and gardens. It is best for larger fields unless the 

 grower is familiar with other methods that have worked well under his conditions. 



TIME TO PLANT 



Early Spring is the logical, natural, most successful and 

 satisfactory time to set Strawberry plants. So don't neglect 

 setting some plants this Spring, thinking you can make it 

 up by early Fall planting. It can't be done. 



How early? Just as soon as weather permits getting ground ready. In the 

 South, February and March and early April. In the Middle States, March and 

 April. In the Northern States, April. 



Be sure to order early enough so that plants can be right at hand as soon as 

 your ground is ready. Early setting pays big — the plants start quicker, grow bet- 

 ter and make better beds than plants set late. 



When a plant grower in the latitude of New York or Massachusetts can dig 

 plants, berry growers in those sections should be setting their plants. This is a big 

 advantage we can give growers in those latitudes. We can dig and ship plants 

 earlier and have them right at hand for early planting. 



Setting the Plants. Just before planting, the ground should be harrowed and 

 made as level as possible. Then mark out the rows and you are ready to plant. 

 There are a number of different methods of planting, but an ordinary garden 

 trowel or a flat dibble are the best tools to use. Whatever tool is used, try to have 

 the roots of the plant spread out fan-shaped, and be sure to have the crown at the 

 surface of the ground — not below or above. Clipping the roots is not necessary 

 nor helpful, if you can get openings deep enough to have the roots straight when 

 setting. It is better to have roots clipped a little rather than have them doubled 

 up in the ground. Where a horse-drawn transplanter is used for setting, it is neces- 

 sary to clip the roots so plants can be handled faster and set without doubling-up 

 the roots. 



Manure and Fertilizer. The old saying "Tillage is Manure" holds true for 

 strawberries. Thorough cultivation is essential. 



Barnyard manure is the best thing to use for strawberries. If used heavily on 

 a crop just preceding strawberries, they get a maximum benefit for the residual 

 manure. It is fine to use broadcast on the land and disced into the ground before 

 the plants are set. Coarse manure is also fine to put on fruiting beds in fall to act 

 as both mulch and fertilizer. Green crops turned in help where manure is not 

 available. 



PLANTS DOING FINE 



Davidson Co., Tenn., Mar. 23, 1926. 

 My plants arrived all right on the 15th, and I set them on the 19th. It rained on them the next 

 morning and they are doing fine. They came in good shape. I received your check for the money 

 not used in postage. 



George W. Steel 



