27 
killers on valuable crops like strawberries. 
Geese are being used to help control 
certain weeds and grasses in strawberry 
plantings. Experience indicates: Field must 
be fenced in and geese provided with 
plenty of water and shelter. About four 
geese per acre are needed. Young active 
geese are better than older heavier ones. 
They like young crab grass best of all, will 
not eat most weeds, very little good for 
chick grass in winter or early spring. Most 
suitable for sm^ll plantings near house. Big 
flocks travel together, trample plants badly. 
Remove geese from field in fall when sum- 
mer grass growth has stopped. Should not 
be in field during winter, spring and fruit- 
ing season. Caution: Watch out for dogs. 
IS MULCHING NECESSARY? Mulch 
ing is 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 moistiire 
and to keep the fruit bright and clean. 
The mulch should be applied in the fall 
after frost and light freezes (25 to 28 
degrees F) have occurred but before hard 
freezing (20 degrees F or lower) . It should 
be removed (at least partly) soon after 
growth starts in the spring. 
Wheat straw and marsh grass are con- 
sidered the best materials. Rye straw, pine 
needles, coarse strawy manure and various 
kinds of hay are satisfactory. In some sec- 
tions sawdust has been used with good 
results. Use whatever you have or can buy 
at a reasonable price. 
WILL IRRIGATION PAY? If you 
have irrigation, it will certainly pay to use 
it for strawberries, especially just before 
fruiting time. However, irrigation is not 
necessary. Most of the fine berry crops in 
this country are produced on good straw- 
berry soil that holds moisture well because 
stable manure and green crops have been 
added, or because of a high water table. 
DO STRAWBERRIES NEED 
SPRAYING? When good varieties are 
selected and clean healthy plants are used, 
strawberries do not need spraying as a 
rule. Red-Stele has become serious in some 
areas. It is avoided by using clean plants 
on uninfected soil. 
It can be largely ignored on infected soil 
by using resistant varieties like Temple, 
Sparkle, Fairland, etc. 
Spraying to prevent rot in wet seasons 
has not been effective. Hill system or well 
spaced rows are best preventives of berry 
rot. The clipper, sometimes present near 
wooded areas, can be controlled by 40 
lbs. per acre of proper dust mixture. Con- 
sult your County Agent. If other insect or 
disease troubles should appear, our FREE 
circular on STRAWBERRY INSECTS AND 
DISEASES may be helpful in identifying 
the cause and applying the remedy. 
RENEWING OLD BEDS. Most com 
mercial growers pick one crop of straw- 
berries and then destroy the planting. 
Generally this is justified. However, when 
plantings are on good soil, free from weeds 
with little insect or disease damage, a 
second crop may be had economically. To 
renew bed don't plow away the old bed. 
Cultivate middles, remove weeds and 
grasses and possibly fertilize. Balance of 
effort should be by hand or some kind of 
drag to remove excess plants in thick 
places and to train in new runners in any 
vacant places. For years we have found 
this method simplest, easiest and best. 
For Berries This Year 
Plants set in March and April, pick 
berries in August and September, only 
four to five months after setting. We hope 
and believe this will be possible and suc- 
cessful for more people as a result of the 
new spaced-plant sawdust-mulch system, 
described on page 21. Give plants with 
sawdust mulch plenty of high nitrogen 
fertilizer. We suggest one pound 5-10-5 
for 25 sq. ft. Apply dry. Brush from plant 
leaves. In the development of this system 
planting plans have varied, but the one 
demonstrated by the Ohio Station as giving 
the largest yields, most economical opera- 
tion and highest profits is the 4-row bed 
type planting illustrated below. 
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