have very long roots, clipping them off 
to about 4 or 5 inches, which will not 
hurt the plants, will make a good job of 
setting easier. No matter how long or 
how short the leaf stems, fruit stems or 
roots may be at time of setting, the bud 
must be just at the surface. (See picture) 
As far as setting tools are concerned, a 
good garden trowel is best for work in 
small plots; in larger fields it is common 
practice to use a transplanter. With a 
transplanter it is very important that the 
setting depth of the plants be checked 
behind the planter. 
CHEMICAL FERTILIZER. On very fertile 
garden soils none is needed. On most 
good soils fertilizer will not prove bene- 
ficial if plenty of stable manure of any 
kind has been applied. On many soils 
chemical fertilizers will be very helpful. 
600 pounds per acre of any fertilizer con- 
taining 3 to 6% of nitrogen, 5 to 10% of 
phosphorus, and 2 to 3% of potassium 
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 of 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, dissolved bone, cotton seed meal 
or dried blood are safe to use. 
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 color and growth are not satisfactory 
at that time, apply 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% 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 1 pound for each 20 feet of row. 
LIME. If other crops, weeds or grass 
have made a good growth on the land 
you have selected for strawberries, 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 if organic matter content of 
the soil is fairly high. 
CARE OF PLANTS. Plants should be set 
promptly on arrival if possible. 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. Some- 
times plants must be kept a while be- 
cause 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 package for a 
while in a snowbank is satisfactory. The 
very best way to hold plants is in cold 
storage between 29 and 32° — never 
never put plants in a freezer where tem- 
peratures will go below 28°. 
CULTIVATING, HOEING AND TRAIN- 
ING. The purpose of cultivating and hoe- 
ing is to control weeds and keep the 
top soil loose so as to conserve soil 
moisture and enable the new runners to 
take root. Shallow cultivation and hoeing 
is best — not to exceed 2 inches. 
1. Uncover the buds. Any of the plant 
buds which have become covered with 
packed or caked dirt must be uncovered. 
Neglect in doing this is often the greatest 
single cause of a poor stand. The outside 
leaves may remain fresh and green for 
some time but if the bud is smothered 
the whole plant will eventually die. 
2. Cut off the blossoms at each hoeing. 
The vitality necessary to mature a cluster 
or two of berries is needed by the newly 
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