and spring growth of chickweed apply chloro 

 I.P.C. 3 lbs. per acre in 50 gallons of water. 

 For us one application in either November or 

 the first half of December has been effective. 

 We doubt if chemical weed control is practi- 

 cal or necessary on very small plots. 



Geese are helpful in controlling crab grass. 

 They do not eat weeds. Use about 4 geese per 

 acre; get goslins or young geese, 5 to 6 weeks 

 old. They eat more and trample less than old 

 geese. The field must be fenced in. Supply 

 shade, water, some extra feeding. Large flocks 

 in one field often trample plants badly. Watch 

 out for dogs. 

 I IS MULCHING NECESSARY? Mulching is 



i necessary for winter protection in all the 



northern states and would be helpful in many 

 fields as far south as Virginia and Kentucky. 

 In addition to giving protection from cold, 

 mulching helps to keep down weeds and 

 grass, to conserve soil moisture and to keep 

 the fruit bright and clean. 

 j The mulch should be applied in the fall 



I after frost and light freezes (25 to 28 degrees 



F.) have occurred but before hard freezing 

 (20 degrees F. or lower). It should be re- 

 moved, (at least partly) soon after growth 

 starts in the spring. 



Wheat straw c : i marsh grass are consid- 

 ' ered the best materials. Rye straw, pine 

 needles, coarse strawy manure and various 

 kinds of hay are satisfactory. In some sections 

 sawdust has been used with good results; also 

 buckwheat hulls. Use whatever you have or 

 can buy at a reasonable price. 



WILL IRRIGATION PAY? If you have irriga- 

 tion it will certainly pay to use it for straw- 

 berries, especially just before fruiting time. 

 However, irrigation is not necessary. Most of 

 the fine berry crops in this country are pro- 

 duced on good strawberry soil that hold^ 

 moisture well because stable manure and 

 green crops have been added or because of 

 a high water table. 



Evidence piles up that irrigation during the 

 danger hours will save a strawberry crop 

 from severe frost and freeze damage with 

 temperatures as low as 20° F. 



INSECTS AND DISEASES. Red stele has 

 become serious in some areas. It is avoided 

 by using clean plants on uninfected soil. 

 Red stele can be largely overcome on in- 

 fected soil by using resistant varieties. (See 

 page 30.) 



Verticillium wilt, a soil-borne fungus, has 

 been developing as a serious problem of 

 strawberries within the past three years. 

 Selection of resistant varieties and not plant- 

 ing after susceptible crops such as tomatoes, 

 Irish potatoes, eggplant and peppers, are the 

 best controls to date. (See page 30.) 



Captan sprays or dusts are proving helpful 

 in reducing fruit rot which is especially bad 

 in wet seasons and can be serious any year. 

 Captain dusts are now a standard practice 

 with us. Spacing of plants (such as the hill 

 system) helps to prevent berry rot. For 

 further information on Captan write for our 

 mimeographed sheet on the subject. 



The clipper, frequently present near wooded 

 areas, can be controlled by dusting or spray- 

 ing with two applications — the first when the 



buds show at the crown and the second when 

 the stems have pushed out of the crown. 

 One successful material has been DDT at 

 the rate of 30 lbs. of 5% DDT dust per acre. 

 See your own County Agent for your area. 

 Frequently different dusts can be combined 

 to control both rot and insect pests in the 

 same application. 



RENEWING OLD BEDS. Most commercial 

 growers pick one crop of strawberries and then 

 destroy the planting. Generally this is justi- 

 fied. However, when plantings are on good 

 soil, free from weeds with little insect or dis- 

 ease damage, a second crop may be had 

 economically. To renew beds, don't plow 

 away the old bed. Cultivate middles, remove 

 weeds and grasses and possibly fertilize. On 

 thickly set beds remove some of the excess 

 plants. Don't be afraid of hurting the beds. 

 We have used a heavily weighted (100 lbs.) 

 spike tooth harrow very effectively. Train 

 new runners to any vacant places. Mostly 

 the second crop of berries is borne on the 

 same plants that produced the first crop. 



ODDS AND ENDS 



1. How much virus free plants outyield ordi- 

 nary stock depends on the vigor of the non- 

 virus free plants. At the Ohio Station 68% 

 average increase was obtained on virus free 

 Catskill, Sparkle and Premier. In New Hamp- 

 shire 83% increase on the same three varie- 

 ties. In Massachusetts 35% on four leading 

 varieties, and in Nova Scotia on four va- 

 rieties 310% increase, the amazing increase 

 probably due greatly to lack of plant growth 

 of the ordinary stock. 



2. Spittle bugs and tarnish plant bugs that 

 cause malformed berries (nubbins) have 

 been controlled by dusting with a 10% toxa- 

 phene dust at the rate of at least 30 lbs. per 

 acre. The first application should be made 

 when the blossom buds first show in the 

 crown and the second application about ten 

 days later when the buds have pushed out 

 of the crown. This material will also control 

 Clipper if applied in this fashion. 



3. The use of chlorodane is one of the things 

 a small grower can and should do. It is 

 applied at the rate of about 10 lbs. per acre 

 of actual chlorodane and may be combined 

 with fertilizer for a general application before 

 setting your plants. For further information 

 please write and ask for our mimeographed 

 sheet on chlorodane. 



4. Growing strawberries in barrels. The idea 

 of growing strawberries in barrels appeals 

 to those who love growing plants, especially 

 berry plants, but who have only limited space. 

 When tempted to try a berry barrel it should 

 be kept in mind that even if successful it is 

 not an economical way of growing berries. 

 Most of your satisfaction must come from the 

 beauty of the foliage, blooms and berries 

 rather than in the quantity and utility of the 

 berries themselves. For further information 

 write for our mimeographed sheet on this 

 subject. 



5. When sawdust is used as a mulch, the 

 soil will need extra nitrogen. Seven or eight 

 pounds of ammonium sulphate per 100 lbs. of 

 sawdust has been suggested. 



27 



