Rayner Brothers, Salisbury, Maryland 



Sugsestions On Culture 



SELECTING AND PREPARING LAND. Strawberries can be grown in almost 

 any soil and climate, in light sandy types or heavy clay, as far south as Florida and 

 as far north as Alaska, but will produce much better crops if planted in a well drained 

 soil, but soil that will retain a great deal of moisture, for it is well to remember that 

 one of the most essential requirements of strawberries is plenty of moisture at fruiting 

 time. 



We advise planting after some truck crop that has been well manured and culti- 

 vated for the soil will be more fertile and there will be less weed seed, or after some 

 legume, if possible. We do not advise planting in old sod unless necessary as this 

 type of land is likely to be infested with white grubs which will cut off the young 

 plants soon after they are set in the spring, but if you have no other land available, 

 plow it in the fall and harrow during the winter and early spring as often as you can, 

 in this way most of the grubs mil be killed out. 



After selecting a desirable field it should be plowed and thoroughly harrowed 

 as early as possible in the spring. If stable manure is to be used we advise spreading 

 it broadcast on the land just after it has been plowed, then the land either with or 

 without manure should be disced thoroughly and harrowed to level it up so that a 

 firm, even bed is obtained. 



TIME TO PLANT. Strawberries should be planted in the EARLY spring as that 



is the natural, most satisfactory and successful time. Just as soon as the weather 

 n^rmits g^ti"ing the land ready. In the Northern States April, in the Middle States 

 March and the early part of April, in the Southern States from November till April 1st. 



EARLY PLANTING PAYS BIG. The plants start quicker, grow better and make 

 better beds than plants that are set late, and remember, it costs no more to plant 

 early than late, be sure to have your order in early so that your plants 'will be right 

 at hand when your ground is ready. 



CARE OF PLANTS. If you are not ready to set the plants when they arrive, 

 unpack, seperating each variety, open the bunches, dampen the roots up to the cro^^'n 

 but do not wet the leaves, they should be healed in a V shaped trench and if shaded from 

 the sun they will keep in first class condition for several weeks if necessary. 



PLANTING. Plants should be protected from the ^^'ind and sun when planting. 

 It will help if roots of the plants can be dipped in water and allowed to "plump n-n" 

 for sometime before setting, perhaps over night. At any rate have them thoroughly 

 moistened when planting. 



Where commercial fertilizer is to be used, rows should be run out three to four 

 inches deep and the fertilizer drilled into these rows and thoroughly worked in, then 

 the soil should be thro\\'n back and leveled off. 



Where a large acreage is planted a horse drawn transplanter is often used, however 

 this requires skill and experience if the crowns of the plants are to be left at the proper 

 level with the roots extending straight into the ground and not at a slant with the 

 roots of times near the surface. A trowel, dibble or spade are the most pomilar tc^'^'^ 

 for setting plants, they are set dowTi the prepared row with the roots out fan shape 

 and the crown level with the surface of the gi'ound. It is also important to see that 

 the gi'ound is pressed firmly around the plant and that enough soil is filled in near the 

 crown so that the top of the roots will not be exposed. 



If you do not use fertilizer under the plants, the rows can be laid off with a marker 

 and the plants set down the marked row\ 



HOEING AND CULTIVATING. Begin cultivating and hoeing soon after the 

 plants are set. When first hoeing be sure to uncover the bud of all plants that have 

 been planted too deep. If this is not done these plants will never amount to anything. 



Cultivate and hoe enough to keep the ground from crusting and keep the weeds 

 down, but do not cultivate deep enough to disturb the roots. 



We, and most of our customers use the matted row system and we find this the 

 most profitable method. The first runner plants should be encouraged to take root, 

 this will help the mother plant to produce a large number of runner plants. 



When hoeing be sure to see that the plants do not become too thickly crowded in 

 the bed. There is not much trouble this way except with varieties that are heavy plant 

 makers. Where the rows are 3% feet apart we recommend a bed from 15 to 20 inches 

 across, for getting a heavy crop of berries, but if the rows are four feet a wider bed 

 will be 0. K. 



