M. S. PRYOR, SALISBURY, MD. 



STRAWBERRY CULTURE 



Soil — Strawberries need a well-drained soil, but still land that 

 will retain moisture, as strawberries require a great deal of mois- 

 ture, especially at fruiting time; therefore, a moist soil always 

 contributes to success. A heavy sandy loam or light clay loam is 

 preferable for a strawberry patch; however, good results can be 

 obtained upon the lighter soils if springy or if sufficient care is 

 taken to retain moisture. As the strawberry crop is or more value 

 than the ordinary farm crop, more care should be taken that the 

 soil is in proper condition and supplied with the proper plant food. 

 Strawberries should follow some truck crop that has been heavily 

 manured if possible, or after cowpeas; if neither of these are 

 available, rye can be sown in the early fall and plowed under in the 

 early spring; this will supply humus, as strawberries need a soil 

 full of humus; it helps hold the moisture and supplies plant food that 

 cannot be added by the use of commercial fertilizer. 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 

 important than many think, for the quality of the plants you set 

 will largely determine the quantity and quality of the fruit you 

 secure. It costs considerable to prepare, fertilizer, plant, cultivate 

 and market an acre of strawberries, and you cannot afford to set 

 plants taken from an old fruiting bed which is low in vigor and 

 fruiting power and also of unknown variety to save a few cents or 

 dollars, because inferior fruit always sells for a much lower price. 

 The few dollars you pay extra per acre to get good plants often 

 makes the difference between profit and loss at fruiting time. 



PRYOR'S quality plants are fresh dug from new beds that have 

 never before 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 When Received — If for any reason you are not 

 quite ready to set plants when received, always unpack plants, 

 carefully separating each variety, and untie bundles and heal in 

 V-shaped trenches; dampen the roots, but not the tops; firmsoil 

 around them with foot and shade from sun. Plants can be kept a 

 month in this way. For northern customers I recommend this 

 method and advise ordering 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 every third or 

 fourth row to make them fruit. Some growers plant the varieties 

 in same row, using about one-fourth of the perfect varieties. It is 

 probably better to plant more than one variety in a field because 

 of the beneficial effect of cross poUenization. 



Planting — In the northern states strawberries should be planted 



