stalks are good second choices. In the South pine 

 needles are used extensively for this purpose. 

 Coarse manure can be used but any heavy lumps 

 must be broken up or they will smother the 

 plants in the spring. In sections where mulch is 

 not needed for winter protection but is desired 

 for other benefits it is usually applied In late 

 winter from four to six weeks before blooming, 

 although in sections farther south where spring 

 cultivation is practiced the time of application is 

 delayed until just before blooming. Another 

 practice is to plant oats between the strawberry 

 rows in September. These make a good growth 

 before frost when they are killed. They are left 

 and serve as a mulch at fruiting time. There is 

 not much winter protection afforded by this prac- 

 tice and in dry seasons there is danger of the 

 oats taking too much moisture. Otherwise the 

 practice looks good for sections not needing 

 winter protection or spring cultivation. 



Distance to Plant 



We recommend setting the plants in rows 3% 

 to 4 feet apart, or even as much as 4% feet, if the 

 soil is very fertile. The plants should be set 15 

 to 24 inches apart in the row, depending on the 

 varieties set, the width of the rows themselves 

 and the fertility of the land. Free growing varie- 

 ties like Dorsett, Blakemore, Dunlap and Nar- 

 cissa which make large number of plants should 

 be set farther apart than varieties like Chesa- 

 peake which makes comparatively few plants. 

 When set in rows 3 feet 8 inches apart and spaces 

 18 to 20 inches apart in the row, it requires about 

 8,000 plants per acre. 



Spraying 



Spraying is not usually necessary in growing 

 strawberries sucessfully. Care in purchasing 

 healthy plants, and in selecting varieties immune 

 or resistant to disease and insects is much more 

 important. 



Results from Trial Plots 



We dislike to publish incomplete, incorrect or misleading figures. For several reasons, includ- 

 ing frequent showers during picking season and the rush of other work, we were not able to get 

 accurate yield records in 1934. From observations made several times during the season the following 

 conclusions were reached about our 1934 plots which may be of some value. 



1. What records we had showed Premier, Catskill, Fairfax, Blakemore and Dorsett leading 

 in productiveness in that order under this year's conditions. 



2. These plots are on quite fertile soil and 1933 was a good growing year. Except Chesapeake 

 and part of the Premier rows all varieties probably suffered considerably in yield due to extreme 

 crowding of plants in the row. The stand of Dorsett and Blakemore was particularly dense. (See 

 spacing of plants, page 15.) 



Most loss apparently on early bloom of Southland 



3. Late frosts cut the yield of all varieties, 

 and Big Late. 



4. Tliese plots were not mulche<l. Having a rainy fruiting season here, there were tremendous 

 losses of dirty and decaying berries of Premier, Aberdeen and Beauty. These varieties certainly 

 need mulching. 



5. INIany visitors inspected these plots; almost unanimous opinion was that Fairfax and Dorsett 

 surpassed all others in quality. 



6. This year Dorsett conunenced ripening two or three days later than Premier. Fairfax two 

 or three days later than Dorsett. We do not know why unless more of the first blossoms of Dorsett 

 and Fairfax were nipjjed by tlie hard frosts than of Premier. 



7. We picked over twenty acres of Premier, Dorsett and Fairfax this year. In these fields the 

 comparative ripening date was about as indicated above, but in yield Fairfax was fully equal to 

 Premier, and Dorsett only slightly less wherever the beds were reasonably thin. 



8. We are carrying over these old trial plots and have about two acres of young trial betls includ- 

 ing all the leading varieties and about 100 selections from U. S. Department of Agriculture. Come 

 and see us and them at fruiting time. We will welcome you and you will be interested in checking 

 up on the varieties you know in comparison with new varieties and unintroduced seedlings. 



More Than One Name 



Orem (Frostking) For one reason or an- 



Kidgely (Jupiter) other, these present-day 



Lupton (Townking) varieties have been in- 

 Marshall (Banner) troduced under two or 



Howard 17 (Premier) more names. 

 Chesapeake ( Lateberry ) 

 Progressive (Champion, Imperial) 

 Big Joe (.Joe. Joe Johnson, New Hope) 

 Parsons Beauty (Gibson, Pocomoke, Sussex) 

 Big Late (Kellogg's Big Late, Townsend's Big 



Late) 

 Senator Dunlap (Dr. Burrell) 

 New York (Corsican, Uncle Jim, Oswego, Arm- 

 strong) 



We Are Dropping These 



Success, Red Gold. Joslin's Prize, Wil-Son, 

 Empire State and Washington no doubt have 

 produced good crops under some conditions. 

 However, where we have seen them grow, other 

 varieties on our list are so much better that we 

 doubt if the above list are the best varieties to 

 grow anywhere, at anytime. We can supply 25 

 of any of the above for 50^ but we do not recom- 

 mend them. 



Truth About Varieties 



Oreen Co., Ind., April 3rd, 1934. l appreciate 

 your honesty in telling the truth about varieties. 

 — Mr. D. E. Groves. 



14 



