CULTURAL PRACTICES (Continued) 



deep will seldom amount to anything even though 

 they may live all summer and those set too shallow 

 will have the top of the roots exposed to the air. 

 this will dry the roots out and often the plant will 

 die. 



The moiit popular tools for setting plants are the 

 trowel, dibble or spade. Under favorable conditions 

 the horse drawn transplanter I will give good results 

 provided the operators use care so that the plants 

 are set properly. 



Before setting the plants should be soaked in 

 water for several hours or over night, so that the 

 roots may absorb all the moisture possible. This 

 will aid in carrying the plants until feeder roots 

 can be sent out. The plants should be protected 

 from the sun and wind and should be kept moist 

 until set. 



Distance to Plant: The plants should be set from 

 15 to 24 inches apart in rows from 3'^ to 41/2 feet 

 apart. The distance plants are set in the row should 

 vary according to the variety. Heavy bedding va- 

 rieties such as Blakemore and Dunlap should be 

 set farther apart than varieties that make large 

 plants but do not bed so freely, such as Chesapeake 

 or Beauty. We have found 3 feet 8 inches a good 

 distance for the rows but on very fertile soil it is 

 well to space them 4 or even 4% feet. With plants 

 set 18 to 20 inches and roAvs 3 feet 8 inches about 

 8,000 plants are required per acre. 



Cultivation: After the growth starts the plants 

 should be kept thoroughly cultivated. It is well to 

 cultivate at weekly intervals until the plant bed is 

 made. This will aid in preserving moisture and 

 will also cut down on the hoeing necessary to keep 

 down weeds. Cultivation next to the plants should 

 be shallow, stirring the soil to a depth of not more 

 than 2 inches. The plants should be hoed soon af- 

 ter they are set and care should be taken to uncov- 

 er any plants that have been set too deep. This is 

 important, don't neglect it. Hoeing should also be 

 shallow, from 1 to 1% inches. In the cultivation 

 always avoid going to depth that will disturb the 

 roots. Generally, the w^ell spaced matted row is the 

 best system for growing strawberries. The first 

 runners should be encouraged as the early plants 

 are much more productive than the late runners. 

 Wlien hoeing it is well to see that the plants do 

 not become roo thickly set in the bed. This should 

 be given special attention with free bedding varie- 

 ties such as Blakemore and Dorsett. 



With 31/^ foot rows a bed 18 to 24 inches wide, 

 with the plants well spaced, will be ideal for heavy 

 production of large fruit. Where the rows are fur- 

 ther apart the bed may be wider in proportion. Be 

 sure that tlie plants are not crowded in the bed. 

 For the hill system the plants are set much closer 

 and all the runners kept cut off. As this method 

 requires much hand labor we feel it should be used 

 only when space is very limited or with the Ever- 

 vearers. 



Removing Blossoms: Flower stems usually ap- 

 pear on strawberry plants soon after they are set 

 in the field and as the production of fruit is a se- 

 vere drain on their vitality, the flower stems should 

 be removed as they appear. With the Everbearers 

 the blossoms should be removed until the plants 

 are well established, this will usually require about 

 sixty days. 



I'ertilizer and Manure: Well rotted stable man- 

 ure is ideal for strawberries. This mav be applied 

 immediately after the ground is ploVed in the 

 spring and disced in. When applied to the preced- 

 ing crop the results are usuallv as good as when 

 applied directly to the soil for berries. If you do 

 not have this material, green manure and commer- 

 cial fertilizer may be used with very good results. 

 Though green manures are desirable they are not 

 essential for profitable berry production except 

 when the soil is deficient in humus (organic mat- 

 ter). For several years we have used a mixture of 

 3 parts dissolved bone and 1 part 16% acid phos- 

 phate, at the rate of 700 lbs. per acre in the drill. 



applied about a week before the plants are set. 

 This has given very satisfactory results. The fer- 

 tilizer should be thoroughly worked in and mixed 

 with the soil or it may be applied as a top dress- 

 ing after the plants are set. With unfavorable con- 

 ditions or with a late spring it is better to apply 

 as a top dressing than to wait a week for the fer- 

 tilizer to become mixed with the soil. Never set 

 the plants immediately after the fertilizer is ap- 

 plied, wait at least a full week. When it is applied 

 broadcast, 10001 lbs. per acre may be safely used 

 but it should be worked into the soil well, at least 

 a week prior to setting plants. We do not recom- 

 mend using more than 1000 lbs. broadcast or 700 

 lbs. in the drill. Raw bone meal may also be used 

 and give very good results. However, this is rather 

 expensive and is slow to become available. Nitrate 

 of Soda, Sulphate of Ammonia and Potash Salts 

 should be avoided as any of these materials will 

 burn the roots should they come in direct contact 

 with them. If such material must be used it should 

 be applied as a top dressing and placed consider- 

 able distance from the plants. If poultry manure 

 is available a combination of two parts manure and 

 one part 16% pliosphoric acid will make a very sat- 

 isfactory fertilizer. This should be applied as for 

 the other commercial fertilizers. A top dressing in 

 late summer though not necessary, will often in- 

 crease the yield and the size of the fruit consider- 

 ably. Usually the fall application is preferal)le as 

 it does not cause such a rank groAvth of vines and 

 weeds as when applied in the spring. This sliould 

 be applied when the leaves are dry, at the rate of 

 600 to 800 lbs. per acre, of a mixture containing 

 from 4 per cent to 7 per cent nitrogen, 6 per cent to 

 10 per cent phosphoric acid and little or no potash. 

 All fertilizer should be brushed off the leaves. 



Mating Varieties: The perfect varieties will pro- 

 duce a full crop of fruit when planted alone. The 

 imperfect varieties must be planted with some per- 

 fect variety of the same season to pollenize the 

 blossoms. There should be two rows of the perfect 

 and four rows of the imperfect, planted in the 

 same row. All varieties we list are perfect flower- 

 ing. 



Mulching: There are several reasons why mulch- 

 ing is desirable. Its use prevents the freezing and 

 thawing of the ground in winter, keeps the soil 

 cool and conserves moisture during the fruiting 

 season and also helps to keep the berries clean dur- 

 ing a rain. Strawy stable manure, straw, wild hay 

 or marsh grass are materials commonly used, ap- 

 plied at the rate of about 3 tons per acre. Many 

 growers raise their mulch between the strawberry 

 rows. Spring oats are usually planted for this pur- 

 pose. These are planted about 50 days before kill- 

 ing frosts are expected at the rate of 1 to IVo bush- 

 els per acre. The first hard freeze kills the oats 

 which fall down and protect the plants. If this 

 practice is followed do not plant too thick or too 

 close to the rows. In the spring the mulch should 

 be raked off between the rows or worked down 

 around the plants where it will also serve to retard 

 the growth of weeds. 



Spraying and Dusting: As strawberries are sel- 

 dom subject to any serious damage from diseases 

 or insects spraying or dusting are not commonly 

 practiced. Setting healthy plants of varieties im- 

 mune or resistant to disease is much more desir- 

 able. In sections where the Weevil (Clipper) pre- 

 vail they can be controlled by dusting the beds just 

 after the first buds appear, and again about 10 days 

 later, with a mixture of 85% Sulphur and 15% Ar- 

 senate of Lead. 



Summer and Early Fall Planting: There are two 

 reasons why Summer and early Fall planting is 

 seldom successful; first, it is almost impossible to 

 get good plants and second; even if you get good 

 plants tliey seldom, if ever, give as good results as 

 plants set in the early spring. Don't put off your 

 planting until Pall. If you do you are almost sure 

 to be disappointed. 



SPLENDID liOOKING PATCH 



I purchased 5,000 Premier from you last year and have a splendid looking patch. I also purchased 

 Dorsett plants from you the previous year, Avhich produced the largest and best berries ever produced in 

 this neighborhood.— Mr. Graham Cunningham, Westmoreland, Penna. 



9 



