STRAWBERRY PLANTS OF QUALITY 



STRAWBERRY CULTURE 



Soil — Strawberries need a well 

 drained soil, but still land that will re- 

 tain moisture as strawberries require 

 a great deal of moisture especially at 

 fruiting- time, therefore, a moist soil 

 always contribute to success. A heavy 

 sandy loam or light clay loam is pref- 

 erable for a strawberry patch, how- 

 ever, good results can be obtained up- 

 on the lighter soils if springy or if 

 sufficient care is taken to retain mois- 

 ture. As the strawberry crop is of 

 more value than the ordinary farm 

 crop more care should be taken that 

 the soil is in proper condition and sup- 

 plied with the proper plant food. 

 Strawberries should follow some 

 truck crop that has been heavily ma- 

 nured if possible, or after cowpeas. 

 Strawberries should not be planted on 

 an old sod as it is likely to be infested 

 with grubs; such land should at least 

 receive one cultivated crop before 

 planting strawberries. 



Selection of Plants — The selection 

 of the plants you set is more import- 

 ant than many think for the quality 

 of the plants you set will largely de- 

 termine the quantity and quality of 

 the fruit you secure. The few dollars 

 you pay extra per acre to get good 

 plants often makes the difference be- 

 tween profit and loss at fruiting time. 



PRYOR'S quality plants are fresh 

 dug from new beds that have nevier 

 borne a crop of fruit and are full of 

 vitality and of heavy fruiting power 

 and should grow and produce big 

 crops if instructions in this catalogue 

 are followed. We dig the whole row, 

 throwing out the ones that are not 

 well rooted and are worth much more 

 than plants dug from the alleys. 



Care of Plants WhenReceived-If for 

 any reason you are not quite ready to 

 set plants when received, always un- 

 pack plants, carefully separating each 

 variety, and untie bundles and heal in 

 V shaped trenches, dampen the roots 

 but not the tops, firm soil around 

 them with foot and shade from sun. 

 Plants can be kept a month in this 

 way. For northern customers I rec- 

 ommend this method and advise or- 

 dering plants shipped early in April 

 when they are dormant and will stand 

 handling safely; also will be there 

 ready to set at the most favorable 

 time. 



Mating Varieties — All pistillate or 

 imperfect varieties I list are marked 

 (Imp) and in planting one or two 



good perfect varieties marked (Per) 

 of same season should be planted ev- 

 ery third or fourth row to make them 

 fruit. Some growers plant the varie- 

 ties in same row using about one- 

 fourth of the perfect varieties. 



Planting — In the northern states 

 strawberries should be planted as 

 early in the spring as the ground can 

 be worked; in the south plants may be 

 set any time from Nov. 1st to April 

 1st. When setting plants care should 

 be taken not to let the plants be ex- 

 posed to the wind and sun. The roots 

 should be kept damp and set in moist 

 soil and the soil should be firmly 

 pressed around the plant so it will not 

 dry out, and not to set the plants too 

 deep or too shallow, the depth as 

 grown in the nursery row being just 

 right. The rows should be about SV2 

 feet apart for the matted row system 

 and plants set 15 to 24 inches apart 

 according to variety. After the beds 

 are 10 or 12 inches wide or as wide as 

 wanted the runners should be kept 

 cut off. 



Fertilizing — To get plants started 

 early a light application of fertilizer 

 if barnyard manure is not available, 

 which is best spread and harrowed in, 

 should be made before planting; but 

 I desire to warn my customers against 

 the too-heavy application of commer- 

 cial fertilizer to young strawberry 

 plants. Many plants have been in- 

 jured and often killed outright; but 

 400 or 500 pounds will not hurt them 

 provided it does not contain any pot- 

 ash and is well scattered and mixed 

 with the soil before planting or put in 

 two weeks earlier. I always make an- 

 other application in the late summer 

 to make stronger, better rooted plants, 

 using about 350 pounds to the acre, 

 but be sure foliage is thoroughly dry 

 before applying. An application of 5- 

 8-5 fertilizer in the early spring will 

 make a heavier, better crop of fruit. 



Cultivation — Cultivation should be- 

 gin as soon as possible after plants 

 are set and should continue once a 

 week or 10 days if land is in suitable 

 condition, through the summer and 

 early fall to keep clean and help re- 

 tain moisture. Hoe as often as neces- 

 sary to keep down weeds but shallow, 

 so as not to disturb the roots. Blos- 

 soms should be removed the first sea- 

 son except on everbearers and these 

 should be kept off until about the 

 middle of July. 



