CULTURAL PRACTICES (Continued) 



deep will seldom amount to anything- even thoujih 

 they may live all summer and those set too shallow 

 Avili have the top of the roots exposed to the air, 

 this will dry the roots out and often the plant will 

 die. 



The most popular tools for setting- plants are the 

 trowel, dibble or spade. Under favorable conditions 

 the horse drawn transplanter will give good results 

 provided the operators use care so that the plants 

 ar(> set properly. 



Before setting the plants should be soaked in 

 water for several hours or over night, so that the 

 roots may absorb all the moisutre possible. This 

 will aid in carrying the plants until feeder roots 

 can be sent out. The plants should be protected 

 from the sun and wind and should be kept moist 

 until set. 



Distaiu'o to Plant: The plants should be set from 

 15 to 24 inches apart in rows from 31/2 to 41/2 feet 

 apart. The distance plants are set in the row should 

 vary according to the variety. Heavy bedding va- 

 rieties such as Klakemore and Dunlap should be 

 set farther apart than varieties that make large 

 plants but do not bed so freely, such as Chesapeake 

 or Beauty. We have found 3 feet 8 inchs a good 

 distance for the rows but on very fertile soil it is 

 well to space them 4 or even 4i^ feet. With plants 

 set 18 to 20 inches and rows 3 feet 8 inches about 

 8,000 plants are required per acre. 



Cultivation: After the growth starts tlie plants 

 should bc^ kept thoroughly cultivated. It is well to 

 cultivates at weekly intervals until the plant bed is 

 made. This will aid in preserving moisture and 

 Avill also cut down on the hoeing- necessary to keep 

 down weeds. Cultivation next to the plants should 

 be shallow, stirring- the soil to a depth of not more 

 than 2 inches. The plants should be hoed soon af- 

 ter they are set and care should be taken to uncov- 

 er any plants that have been set too deep. This is 

 important, don't neglect it. Hoeing should also be 

 shallow, from 1 to ll^ inches. In the cultivation 

 always avoid going to depth that will disturb the 

 roots. Generally, the well spaced matted roAV is the 

 best system for growing strawberries. The first 

 runners should be encouraged as the early plants 

 are much more productive than the late runners. 

 When hoeing it is well to see that the plants do 

 not become too thickly set in the bed. This should 

 be given special attention with free bedding varie- 

 ties such as Blakemore and Dorsett. 



With 31/2 foot roAvs a bed 18 to 24 inches wide. 

 Avith the plants Avell spaced, will be ideal for heavy 

 production of large fruit. Where the rows are fur- 

 ther apart the bed may be wider in proportion. Be 

 sure that the plants are not crowded in the bed. 

 For the hill system the plants are set much closer 

 and all the runners kept cut off. As this method 

 requires much hand labor we feel it should be used 

 only when space is very limited or Avith the Ever- 

 bearers. 



Removing Blossoms: Flower stems usually ap- 

 pear on straAvberry plants soon after they are set 

 in the field and as the production of fruit is a se- 

 vere drain on their Aitality, the flower stems should 

 be remoA-ed as they appear. With the Everbearers 

 tne blossoms should be remoA-ed until the plants 

 are Avell established, this Avill usually require about 

 sixty days. 



Fertilizer and Manure: Well rotted stable man- 

 ure IS ideal for straAA^berries. This may be applied 

 immediately after the ground is ploAA-ed in the 

 spring and disced in. When applied to the preced- 

 ing crop the results are usually as good as Avhen 

 applied directly to the soil for berries. If vou do 

 not have this material, green manure and commer- 

 cial fertilizer may be used Avith very good results. 

 1 hough green manures are desirable thev are not 

 essential for profitable berry production except 

 T^'"fn the soil is deficient in humus (organic mat- 

 ter). For several years Ave have used a mixture of 

 o parts of dissolved bone and 1 part 16% acid phos- 

 phate, at the rate of 700 lbs. per acre in the drill, 



applied about a Aveek before tlie plants are set. 

 This has given very satisfactory results. The fer- 

 tilizer should be thoroughly Avorked in and mixed 

 Avith the soil or it may be ai)plied as a top dress- 

 ing after the plants are set. With unfavorable con- 

 ditions or with a late spring it is better to apply 

 as a top dressing than to Avait a Aveek for the fer- 

 tilizer to become mixed Avith the soil. Never set 

 the plants immediately after the fertilizer is ap- 

 plied, Avait at least a full Aveek. When it is applied 

 broadcast, 1000 lbs. per acre may be safely used 

 but is should be AVorked into the soil Avell, at least 

 a week prior to setting plants. We do not recom- 

 mend using more than 1000 lbs. broadcast or 700 

 lbs. in the drill. RaAv bone meal may also be used 

 and give very good results. lloAvever, this is rather 

 expensive and is sIoav to become available. Nitrate 

 of Soda, Sulphate of Ammonia and Potash Salts 

 should be avoided as any of these materials Avill 

 burn the roots should they come in direct contact 

 Avith them. If such material must be used it should 

 be applied as a top dressing and placed consider- 

 able distance from the plants. If poultry manure 

 is available a combination of tAvo parts manure and 

 one part 10% phosphoric acid Avill make a very sat- 

 isfactory fertilizer This should be applied as for 

 the other commercial fertilizers. A top dressing in 

 late summer though not necessary, aa'III often in- 

 crease the yield and the size of the fruit consider- 

 ably. Usually the fall application is preferable as 

 it does not cause such a rank groAvth of vines and 

 Aveeds as Avhen applied in the spring. This should 

 be applied Avhen the leaves are dry, at the rate of 

 (500 to 800 lbs. per acre, of a mixture containing 

 from 4 per cent to 7 per cent nitrogen, 6 per cent of 

 10 per cent phosphoric acid and little or no potash. 

 All fertilizer should be brushed off the leaves. 



Mating Varieties: The perfect varieties Avill pro- 

 duce a full crop of fruit when planted alone. The 

 imperfect A-arieties must be planted Avith some per- 

 fect variety of the same season to pollenize the 

 blossoms. There should be tAvo roAvs of the perfect 

 and four roAvs of the imperfect. All varieties Ave 

 list are perfect flOAvering. 



Mulching: There are several reasons Avliy mulch- 

 ing is desirable. Its use prevents the freezing and 

 thaAving of the ground in Avinter, keeps the soil 

 cool and conserves moisture during the fruiting 

 season and also helps to keep the berries clean dur- 

 ing a rain. StraAvy stable manure, straAV, Avild hay 

 or marsh grass are materials commonly used, ap- 

 plied at the rate of about 3 tons per acre. The 

 mulch should be applied before the first hard 

 freeze, as it has been found that the first sudden 

 drop in temperature does more damage to unpro- 

 tected plants than subsequent freezes, even though 

 the temperature may go much lower. In other 

 words to apply a mulch after there has been a hard 

 freeze, in the hope of preventing Avinter injury, is 

 simply locking the door after the horse is stolen. 

 In the spring the mulch should be raked off be- 

 tAA'een the roAvs or AAorked doAA-n around the i)lants 

 Avhere it Avill also serve to retard the groAvth of 

 weeds. 



Spraying and Dusting: As straAvberries are sel- 

 dom subject to any serious damage from diseases 

 or insects spraying or dusting are not commonly 

 practiced. Setting- healthy plants of varieties im- 

 mune or resistant to disease is much more desir- 

 able. In sections Avhere the Weevil (Clipper) pre- 

 vail they can be controlled by dusting the beds just 

 after the first buds appear, and again about 10 

 days later, with a miture of 85% Sulphur and 15%. 

 Arsenate of Lead. 



Summer and Early Fall Planting. There are tAA'O 

 reasons AA'hy Summer and early Fall planting is 

 seldom successful ; first, it is almost impossible to 

 get good plants and second; even if you get good 

 j)Iants they seldom, if ever, give as good results as 

 plants set in the early spring. Don't put off your 

 planting until Fall. If you do you are almost sure 

 to be disappointed. 



GOOD PLANTS AND SERVICE 



My plants arrived in fine condition, and am Avell pleased Avith them, 

 m seeding them. --Mr. Frank McDaniel, Knox Co., Ohio. 



Thank you for promptness 



