10 ALLEN'S BOOK OF BERRIES ■— 1928 



TIME TO PLANT 



Early Spring is the logical, natural, most successful and satis- 

 factory time to set Strawberry plants. So don't neglect setting 

 some plants this Spring, thinking you can make it up by early 

 Fall planting. It can't be done. 



How early? Just as soon as weather permits getting ground ready. In the 

 South, February and March and early April. In the Middle States, March and 

 April. In the Northern States, April. 



Be sure to order early enough so that plants can be right at hand as 

 soon as your ground is ready. Early setting pays big — the plants start 

 quicker, grow better and make better beds than plants set late. 



When a plant grower in the latitude of New York or Massachusetts can dig 

 plants, berry growers in those sections should be setting their plants. This is a big 

 advantage we can give growers in those latitudes. We can dig and ship plants 

 earlier and have them right at hand for early planting. 



Cultivation and Training. The plants should be cultivated and hoed soon 

 after they have started growth after being set out. It is important at the first 

 hoeing to uncover the buds of any plants which might have been planted too deep. 

 If this is not done very early, these plants will not recover in time to amount to 

 anything, even though they might live along all summer. Cultivate often enough 

 to keep the surface of the ground from becoming crusted and to keep down the 

 grass and weeds. 



We believe in the matted row system of training strawberries, and with this 

 system the first runners from the plants should be encouraged to take root, 

 forming from 10 to 20 or even more young plants from each plant set, paying 

 some attention as the hoeing is done to see that the plants do not become crowded 

 too thickly on the bed. f There is usually not much trouble this way except 

 with very vigorous growing varieties that naturally have small plants, as for 

 instance, Senator Dunlap, McAlpin, Red Gold, Gandy, Klondyke, Missionary, 

 and a few others. A matted row from 15 to 18 inches across is, in our opinion, 

 most desirable for getting large crops of fancy berries. Of course, a wider bed is 

 O. K. where the rows themselves are set more than 4 feet apart, and a narrower 

 bed might be more desirable where the rows were only 33^ feet apart. 



If you desire to use the hill system, the plants should be set considerably 

 closer together and all the runners kept off. We feel that the hill system, if used 

 at all, should be only in cases where the ground available is very limited or per- 

 haps with the Everbearing varieties. 



Manure and Fertilizer. Barnyard manure spread broadcast on the land 

 after it is plowed and thoroughly disced in is the best thing you can do to add 

 fertility to the land and to get a better growth of strawberry plants and fruit. 

 However, this is not necessary. Green manure crops and fertilizer will give very 

 good results. We have had some remarkable results in plant growth from using a 

 mixture composed of 1,500 lbs. dissolved bone and 500 lbs. of acid phosphate. 

 The analysis of this mixture is 2.5-10.5-0. Use about 500 lbs. of this per acre 

 in the drill before the plants are set, or along side of the plants and thoroughly 

 work in with hoe or cultivator soon after setting the plants. Where applied in 

 the drill it should be worked in thoroughly, going at least twice to each row 

 with a horse and cultivator to mix it in. If applied broadcast, 1,000 lbs. per acre 

 of this mixture thoroughly harrowed in before the plants are set can be used to 

 advantage. Not more than 500 lbs. of this mixture per acre should be used in the 

 drill. We have seen 1,000 lbs. per acre used in the drill with the result that a 

 great many of the plants were killed by the fertilizer. 



Wayne Co., N. Y., April 23, 1927. 

 Received strawberry plants late today. Thanks. 



L. H. MORSE. 



