Higher Quality 

 at Lower Cost ! 



A perfect combination for our cus- 

 tomers, that is the result of our many 

 years of experience in producing straw- 

 berry plants. First, we select fertile, 

 sandy loam, which will produce strong, 

 thrifty plants with plenty of long, 

 white, fiberous roots. This land is 

 carefully prepared during the late win- 

 ter and the plants are set during 

 March and early April. These are 

 carefully selected for strength and vig- 

 or, if weather conditions delay plant- 

 ing till later the plants are stored 

 while fully dormant as described be- 

 low. This assures a good stand and 

 the plants start rapidly as soon as the 

 weather turns warm. 



In all our operations we use the 

 most modern power equipment, thus, 

 our production costs are very low. 

 Our plants are side dressed two to 

 three times during the growing season 

 so there is always abundant plant 

 food for their full development. We 

 developed a special side dressing at- 

 tachment for our tractor cultivators 

 so even this operation could be per- 

 formed more economically. All of 

 these savings are directly reflected in our prices while the thoroughness of our growth prac- 

 tices develop the very finest plants. Therefore you receive finer, stronger plants, and at low- 

 er cost from Rayner's. 



Vigorous plants such as these, properly cleaned, labeled 

 and bunched make strawberry growing Pleasant and Pro- 

 fitable. 



Notes on Cold Storage Results 



As there were many indications that strawberry plants dug in the winter and stored at controlled 

 temperatures would give better results than freshly dug plants. The U. S. Department of Agriculture 

 set up an extensive experiment to determine the best time for digging plants for storage and the proper 

 temperatures to get the greatest benefit. This work was begun during the winter of 1937-38 and has 

 been continued until last year. We cooperated with the U. S. D. A. in this work and tests were eon- 

 ducted on our farms. Much information was gained on proper storage practices and on the increased 

 vigor of the stored plants as compared to freshly dug plants, especially when plants were set later than 

 April 15th. As a result of this, for the past three years, whenever weather conditions delayed our 

 planting we have placed the plants in storage while still fully dormant (by Apr. 10th) and during 

 that time we have had as good stand from late set storage plants as from fresh dug plants set in late 

 March, and far better than from plants dug and set the same day in late April and early May. It has 

 been our policy to send our customers only fresh dug plants, however from the results of these carefully 

 conducted experiments it is clear that when plants are to be set in late April or May much better stands 

 and more rapid, vigorous growth will be had if plants are dug in late March or early April, while fully 

 dormant and stored at the proper temperatures until planted. 



The following chart clearly shows the great difference in growth and stand between freshly dug 

 and stored Premier plants. This is from the first experiment in 1938. Results since then have been 

 comparative to this. 



PLANTS SET OUT MARCH 21 



STAND LEAVES PER PLANT RUNNERS PER PLANT 



May 19 May 19 Mav 19 



Fresh Dug 100% 5.1 0.7 



STORED EARLY 100% G.7 1.0 



PLANTS SET OUT APRIL 22 



STAND LEAVES PER PLANT RUNNERS PER PLANT 

 June 22 June 22 June 22 



Fresh Dug 93% 4.9 0.2 



STORED EARLY 100% 8.1 0.2 



PLANTS SET OUT MAY 19 



STAND LEAVES PER PLANT RUNNERS PER PLANT 



July 23 July 23 July 23 



Fresh Dug 63% 3.3 0.1 



STORED EARLY 100% 7.4 0.2 



As an added assurance of success, if conditions delay your planting we will place your plants in 

 storage at no additional charge. To get full benefit plants should be stored by April 10th. Unless 

 you request this service all plants will be strictly fresh dug. This is another of Rayner's plus services 

 to help our customers get the most from their berries. 



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