25 



only three to four tons per acre are used. 

 Excessive applications of poultry manure 

 may cause some burning especially in 

 dry seasons. 



For small areas a good guide in the ap- 

 plication of horse, cow, sheep or hog 

 manure is to figure 1 to 2 bushels for 

 every 100 square feet. Manure from 

 poultry and broiler houses is not recom- 

 mended because it either contains chick 

 weed seed from feed or bedding or stim- 

 ulates excessively the growth of chick 

 weed, which becomes very serious in 

 many strawberry growing areas. 



WHEN SHOULD PLANTS BE SET? 

 EARLY! 



The most important single thing in 

 growing strawberries successfully is to 

 set the plants EARLY. With no other crop 

 that you grow is early spring setting so 

 ALL IMPORTANT. 



In the Southern States this means Feb- 

 ruary, March and early April. In the Mid- 

 dle States, March and April. In the 

 Northern States, April and May in late 

 seasons and in states far North. In all 

 states it means just as early as the weather 

 permits you to get the ground ready and 

 the plants set. 



A good stand and growth are easy if 

 plants are set early so they can become 

 established while the soil is still cool and 

 moist. With late setting good results are 

 very unlikely unless soil and moisture 

 conditions are entirely favorable. 



SHOULD CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS BE 

 USED? On very fertile garden soils none 

 is needed. On most good soils fertilizers 

 will not prove beneficial if plenty of stable 

 manure of any kind has been applied. On 

 some soils chemical fertilizers will be 

 very helpful. 600 pounds per acre of any 

 fertilizer containing 3 to 6% of organic 

 nitrogen and 5 to 10% of phosphorus may 

 be used. This may be stirred into the 

 soil down the row before the plants are 

 set or applied as a side dressing in one 

 or more applications after growth starts. 

 Inorganic nitrogen like nitrate of soda or 

 sulphate or ammonia should be used in 

 these applications only with great care, 

 as they will injure either roots or leaves 

 if they come in direct contact. Organic 

 nitrogen materials like tankage, fish, dis- 

 solved bone, cotton seed meal, dried 



blood, etc., are safe to use. Any form of 

 phosporous is O. K. 



Whatever the soil preparation and ear- 

 lier treatment it is well to examine the 

 plant beds in late August or early Sep- 

 tember. If the growth is satisfactory and 

 the leaves have a rich dark green appear- 

 ance, no further fertilizer is necessary. If 

 growth is not satisfactory at that time ap- 

 ply as a top dressing directly on the plant 

 beds about 600 pounds per acre of 6-8-2 

 or any fertilizer mixture your dealer has 

 containing 4 to 6% of nitrogen, 6 to 10% of 

 phosphorus and 2 to 5% of potash. Apply 

 only when foliage is thoroughly dry and 

 brush loose material off the leaves at 

 once. This is important to prevent injury. 



An application of 600 pounds per acre 

 means about I pound for each 20 feet 

 of row. 



PLANTS FOR VARIOUS PLANTING 





DISTANCE 





Rows 



In the row 



Total per acre 



3 ft. apart 



18 inches 



9,680 plants 



3 ft. " 



24 " 



7,260 " 



3^2 ft. " 



18 " 



8,297 " 



3»/2ft. " 



24 " 



6,223 " 



4 ft. " 



18 " 



7,260 " 



4 ft. " 



24 " 



5,445 " 



3 ft. 8 in. 



18 " 



7,128 " 



WHAT ABOUT LIME? If other crops, 

 weeds or grass have made a good growth 

 on the land you have selected for straw- 

 berries it does not need lime. However, 

 if you want to have your soil tested for 

 acidity a pH range of 5.7 to 6 is best, 5 to 

 7 is satisfactory. 



WHT CARE DO PLANTS NEED? They 

 should be set promptly on arrival if pos- 

 sible. Dip the roots in water and keep 

 them protected when taken to the garden 

 or field for setting. A hot day is bad for 

 setting strawberry plants. A hot windy 

 day is terrible. A cool cloudy day is fine. 

 Sometimes plants must be kept a while 

 because the ground is not ready or for 

 some other reason. Small lots of plants 

 can be kept in the family refrigerator if 

 there is room. Burying the crate or pack- 

 age for a while in a snowbank is O. K. 



The very best way to hold plants is in 

 cold storage at 32 Degrees F. If such stor- 

 age is not available, open the bundles 

 and spread the plants in thin layers along 



