only three to four tons per acre are used. 
Excessive applications of poultry manure 
may cause some burning especially in 
dry seasons. If used, apply poultry 
manure to field or garden in the Fall for 
spring planting. 
For small areas a good guide in the ap- 
plication of horse, cow, sheep or hog 
manure is to figure 1 to 2 bushels for 
every 100 square feet. Manure from 
poultry 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. 
WHEN SHOULD PLANTS BE SET? 
EARLY! 
The most important single thing in 
growing strawberries successfully is to 
set the plants EARLY. With no other crop 
that you grow is early spring setting so 
ALL IMPORTANT. 
In the Southern States this means Feb- 
ruary, March and early April. In the Mid- 
dle States, March and April. In the 
Northern States, April and May in late 
seasons and in states far North. In all 
states it means just as early as the weather 
permits you to get the ground ready and 
the plants set. 
A good stand and growth are easy if 
plants are set early so they can become 
established while the soil is still cool and 
moist. With late setting good results are 
very unlikely unless soil and moisture 
conditions are entirely favorable. 
SHOULD CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS BE 
USED? On very fertile garden soils none 
is needed. On most good soils fertilizer 
will not prove beneficial if plenty of stable 
manure of any kind has been applied. On 
many soils chemical fertilizers will be 
very helpful. 600 pounds per acre of any 
fertilizer containing 3 to 6% of organic 
nitrogen and 5 to 10°%% of phosporus may 
be used. This may be stirred into the 
soil down the row before the plants are 
set or applied as a side dressing in one 
or more applications after growth starts. 
Inorganic nitrogen like nitrate of soda or 
sulphate or ammonia should be used in 
these applications only with great care, 
as they will injure either roots or leaves 
if they come in direct contact. Organic 
nitrogen materials like tankage, fish, dis- 
solved bone, cotton seed meal, dried 
blood, etc., are safe to use. Any form of 
phosporous is O. K. 
Whatever the soil preparation and ear- 
lier treatment it is well to examine the 
plant beds in late August or early Sep- 
tember. If the growth is satisfactory and 
the leaves have a rich dark green appear- 
ance, no further fertilizer is necessary. If 
growth is not satisfactory at that time ap- 
ply as a top dressing directly on the plant 
beds about 600 pounds per acre of 6-8-2 
or any fertilizer mixture your dealer has 
containing 4 to 6% of nitrogen, 6 to 10% of 
phosphorus and 2 to 5°% of potash. Apply 
only when foliage is thoroughly dry and 
brush loose material off the leaves at 
once. This is important to prevent injury. 
An application of 600 pounds per acre 
means about 1 pound for each 20 feet 
of row. 
PLANTS FOR VARIOUS PLANTING 
DISTANCE 
Rows Inthe row Total per acre 
3. ft. apart 18 inches 9,680 plants 
Sits 7d ees 7,260 ” 
Sit 18” 8,297 ” 
St. 24" BCectt se 
4, cttar 18 ” 1200: ao 
ont 24” 5,445 ” 
3 ft. 8 in. 1M mre elon 
WHAT ABOUT LIME? If other crops, 
weeds or grass have made a good growth 
on the land you have selected for straw- 
berries 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. 
WHAT CARE DO PLANTS NEED? They 
should be set promptly on arrival if pos- 
sible. 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. 
Sometimes plants must be kept a while 
because 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. Burying the crate or pack- 
age for a while in a sriowbank is O. K. 
The very best way to hold plants is in 
cold storage at 32 Degrees F. If such-stor- 
age is not available, open the bundles 
and spread the plants in thin layers along 
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