STRAWBERRY PLANTS OF QUALITY 



Everbearing Varieties 



FOR PLEASURE AND PROFIT 



I believe there are possibilities in the everbearing (or more strictly speaking Call 

 bearing) strawberries that are overlooked by a great many growers who could make a 

 nice profit from the planting of everbearers. If you live near a summer resort where 

 the berries could be marketed two or three times a week, or near sonic good sized town 

 they would probably buy all you could supply or if you are situated so you cannot do this 

 ami live within 150 or 200 miles of one of the large wholesale markets, where they could 

 be picked one day and sold the next morning, believe you would find this a paying prop- 

 osition. Most of the everbearers grown in this section are marketed this way as we are 

 near enough to the markets of Baltimore and Philadelphia that they can be picked in the 

 afternoon and sold the next morning, and generally find a ready sale at prices that leaves 

 a nice profit for the grower. 



How many berries will a plant produce? This depends on soil fertility, care, season, 

 spacing of plants, etc. Generally speaking, if conditions are favorable, they will produce 

 about, one quart of fruit per plant. Some have secured much better yields than this but 

 the average is somewhat less. This is the fall crop the same year they are planted and 

 the plants will still produce a full crop of fruit in the spring, and also another crop the 

 following- fall that will compare favorably with the first fall crop if given good care. 

 Many growers make enough, and more than enough, to pay the expense of growing them, 

 from the sale of fruit the first fall and still have their spring and following fall crop 

 which is practically all clear profit. 



There is no secret to growing them just plant like you do the regular spring varie- 

 ties, except that blossoms will have to be removed longer, or until about the first to mid- 

 dle of July, when they can be allowed to ripen fruit and will fruit from then on to freez- 

 ing weather. It is well to keep in mind, especially when growing everbearing straw- 

 berries, that the better the ground, the better the care and attention the better the crop 

 of fruit will be and larger the profit. 



In planting everbearers I would suggest using the hill or narrow row system of culti- 

 vation, unless a heavy spring crop is wanted, that is setting the plants closer and keep- 

 ing all, or nearly all, of the runners pinched off as the plants then will make larger crowns, 

 and bear more fruit in the fall than if allowed to make a lot of runners. A good plan 

 is to allow each plant to put out two runners, one on each side of the plant and each 

 runner to make one plant and these plants spaced equal distance apart, which, if plants 

 were set 15 inches apart would make one plant for every 5 inches down the row. If 

 wider bed is wanted, each plant can be allowed to put out four or six runners and each 

 runner to make two or 1 three plants each and these spaced alternately about 6 or 8 

 inches apart would give sufficient width of bed even for good crop the following spring. 



MASTODON 



MADE EVERBEARERS PROFITABLE 



M A ST ODO N * s still the most popular and extensively planted of all the ev- 

 ^ " * erbearing varieties holding about the same position among the 



everbearers that Premier has among the spring varieties. Gem from my experience is 

 a close second and would recommend giving it a thorough trial, but Mastodon has been 

 tried for several years and is a proven money maker. Plants set this spring should begin 

 to bear fruit soon after being set but for best results blossoms should be removed about 

 first of July when they can be allowed to fruit and from then on to freezing weather will 

 have blossoms, green berries in all stages of growth and ripe berries at the same time. 

 Berries are large size, fairly firm and of good quality. Another reason that makes Mas- 

 todon a safe variety to plant is that it will not only produce a big fall crop but will bear 

 a heavy crop in the spring, ripening in mid-season, that will compare very favorably 

 with most of the spring bearing varieties. The plants are large with long deep roots that 

 enable them to withstand drouth. The foliage is low and spreading which protects blos- 

 soms and berries from frost and cold in the fall. 



When hoeing plants for the first time be sure to uncover the buds of all plants that 

 have been covered by wind, in cultivating, or too deep setting as they will never amount 

 to much if they are not uncovered. This is very important, for the plants, altho they may 

 not actually die, will be so smothered that it will be all they can do to live and will hot 

 have the vitality to put out runners and make plants. 



