tions for a fine crop of berries. Results 

 are almost equally good if one of these 

 applications has been made for the pre- 

 vious crop. Poultry manure is better 

 when applied to the previous crop but 

 is helpful to current crop if full of litter 

 and only three to four tons per acre 

 are used. Excessive applications of poultry 

 manure may cause some burning, espe- 

 cially in dry seasons. If used, apply poul- 

 try manure to field or garden in the fall 

 for spring planting. 



For small areas a good guide in the appli- 

 cation of horse, cow, sheep or hog ma- 

 nure is to figure one to two bushels for 

 every 100 square feet. Manure from poul- 

 try and broiler houses either contains 

 chick weed seed from feed or bedding 

 or stimulates excessively the growth of 

 chick weed, which becomes very serious 

 in many strawberry growing areas. 



PUTTING PLANTS IN GROUND. Any 



method is good which leaves the roots 

 reasonably straight down in the soil. It 

 is best if the roots are spread with the 

 soil pressed tightly against them and the 

 bud just at the surface. With plants that 

 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) 



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. It is wise to 

 have a soil test made and follow the 

 recommendation of your local supplier or 

 County Agent. 



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. The very best way to hold 

 plants is in cold storage between 29 and 

 32° — never never put plants in a freezer 

 where temperatures will go below 28°. 



JUST RIGHT TOO Dl 



CULTIVATING, HOEING AND TRAIN- 

 ING. The purpose of cultivating and hoe- 

 ing is to control weeds and keep the 

 * V ! , 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. 

 As far as setting tools are concerned, a 1. Uncover the buds. Any of the plant 

 good garden trowel is best for work in buds which have become covered with 

 small plots; in larger fields it is common packed or caked dirt must be uncovered, 

 practice to use a transplanter. With a Neglect in doing this is often the greatest 



35 



