portance when the extra fruitfulness of early- 

 formed runner plants is considered. 



Training" 



We believe the well spaced matted row is the 

 best system for getting the largest crops of the 

 best berries. From four to six plants per square 

 foot are ample for fine results. If it can be done 

 economically it will pay berry growers to use 

 some method which will prevent thickly matted 

 rov/s. 



Adyantages of Spacing 



Fields that have been restricted to a maximum 

 of six to eight plants per square foot of row 

 have the following advantages over fields where 

 plants are very thickly set. 



The total yield will be larger. 



The berries will be much larger in average 

 size. 



They will stand wet weather with less rotting. 



Berries will not run down in size as fast, 

 especially in dry seasons. 



Mulching materials can be used more effec- 

 tively. 



Conditions for perfect pollination of the blos- 

 soms are more favorable. 



Berries are better in quality. 



Berries are easier to pick, resulting in less 

 over-ripe berries. 



Spacing will pay if the cost can be kept fairly 

 low. 



Spacing Methods 



Spacing, to be profitable must cost less than 

 the increased returns. With this in mind we 

 suggest that growers should not be too fussy 

 about exact distances in spacing. However, some 

 attempt should be made to restrict the number 

 of plants when their number becomes excessive. 

 The following simple practices have been found 

 helpful. 



Much spacing and thinning can be done when 

 the plants are hoed without very much extra 

 cost. A better job is done if those who do the 

 hoeing can be made to realize that extra plants 

 over four to six per square foot are nothing but 

 weeds and are just as harmful. 



Growers should avoid close horse cultivation 

 after runners have formed to prevent crowding 

 late set runners back into the row. 



If plants are kept well spaced, wider rows 

 will mean more good berries. Well-spaced fruit- 

 ing rows three feet across are not too wide. 

 After the early runners have formed a row of 

 the desired width and the permanent plants have 

 become established, a light rake or harrow may 

 be dragged across the beds to pull late runners 

 to the side of the row. They can then be cut 

 off with the rolling cutter first on one side of 

 the row and then the other. Some commercial 

 growers are using this method with free growing 

 varieties like Blakemore and Dorsett. 



Mulching 



A mulch is applied for one or all of several 

 reasons: First, to guard against winter injury 

 to roots and crowns by protecting them from the 

 extremely low winter temperatures. Second, to 

 avoid lifting the plants by the freezing and 

 thawing of the soil in winter. Third, to keep the 

 soil cool and moist and to retard or check growth 

 of weeds and grass during the season when fruit 

 is being produced. Fourth, to keep berries from 

 being spattered with dirt by rain during fruiting 

 season. Fifth, by delaying blooming it tends to 

 prevent injury by frost in the spring. 



Time of Application. Experiments have shown 

 that plants gain in hardiness during the winter 

 and are much more resistant to low temperatures 

 in March than in November. Thus the mulch can 

 be applied early and removed early even before 

 the last freezes are over unless it is left to delay 

 blooming either to escape late frosts or to aim 

 for a better late berry market. 



Dr. Roberts' experiments in Wisconsin, re- 

 ported in 1933, indicated that the common prac- 

 tice of applying the mulch after the ground is 

 hard frozen makes the work easier but may be 

 too late to be fully effective. He obtained com- 

 plete protection from an appl cation made before 

 nrst freezing weather but much injury to both 



crowns and roots from an equally heavy appli- 

 cation two >veeks later after a freeze had oc- 

 curred. 



Generally speaking, mvilches are not needed 

 for winter protection South of Washington, D. C. 

 Also the danger from partial smothering is 

 greater unless watched carefully. In some sec- 

 tions of the South a mulch of light straw or pine 

 needles is applied after cultivation in the spring 

 to give the other benefits of mulching if winter 

 protection is not needed. 



The amount of mulch required varies from one 

 to four tons per acre. In removing the mulch 

 the larger amovmts should be raked up and re- 

 moved from the field. The smaller amounts may 

 be pulled to the center between the rows with 

 enough left on them to work down between the 

 plants in the row. 



The practice of leaving a mulch on to avoid 

 late frosts involves much risk, and should be 

 attempted only by experienced growers or on a 

 small scale. 



Materials. Wheat straw and marsh grass are 

 considered the best materials, but rye, pine 

 needles, coarse strawy manure and various kinds 

 of hay roughage can be used to advantage. A 

 good practice is to use the materials which are 

 readily available at a reasonable price. 



Irrigation 



Various forms of irrigation are used by grow- 

 ers in different sections. Amy method -which 

 economically supplies needed >vater, especially 



just before fruiting time, will be helpful and 



worth while for strawberries. However, it is 

 not necessary for good results. Most of the good 

 berry crops in this country are produced on good 

 strawberry land that has been well filled with 

 organic matter by the addition of stable manure 

 or green manure crops. 



Perfect and Imperfect Yarieties 



All the varieties on our list except Sample 

 have perfect flowers and will bear satisfactory 

 crops when planted alone. Imperfect varieties 

 like Sample should have some perfect variety 

 of the same blooming season planted with them 

 — at least one row in three or four. 



Spraying 



Spraying is not usually necessary in grow- 

 ing strawberries successfully. Care in buying 

 healthy plants and in selecting varieties immune 

 or resistant to diseases and insects is much more 

 important. When disease and insect troubles do 

 occur we will be glad to help if we can. A serv- 

 ice folder describing symptoms and control 

 measures for some of the more important trou- 

 bles has been prepared. This will be mailed on 

 request. We suggest, however, that growers 

 who are having serious trouble with their berries 

 should get in touch with their county agent who 

 should be familiar with local problems. These 

 could not be covered adequately for all sections 

 in any general circular. 



For the Small Garden 



600 lbs. of fertilizer per acre means about 1 lb. 

 for each 20 feet of row. 



Canvas irrigation hose adequate for small 

 berry or vegetable gardens, can be attached to 

 regular garden hose, using city or home water 

 supply. 



In setting, hold the plant against the straight 

 side of opening made with spade or trowel. Fill 

 in loose dirt on the other side and pack firmly 

 against the plant with hand or foot. 



No matter how long or how short leaf stems, 

 fruit stems, and roots may be at time of setting 

 — have the bud of the plant just at the surface. 



If it is dry when you are ready to set plants 

 turn on the sprinkler or hose and moisten the 

 soil some before setting. This is safer than set- 

 ting plants in dry soil and watering afterward. 



