CHAPTER XII 



GROWING STRAWBERRIES 



The strawberry is grown for home use in every state and 

 in carlots for commercial purposes in three-fourths of the 

 states of the Union. It is at home throughout all the country 

 east of the Missouri River, in the South, and on the Pacific 

 Coast. See Table 49. 



Operations: 



1. Selecting the location and soil. 



2. Preparing the field. 



3. Selecting varieties. 



4. Determining time of planting. 



5. Determining the planting system. 



6. Setting the plants. 



7. Managing the soil. 



8. Controlling insects and diseases. 



9. Protecting plants in winter. 



10. Harvesting and marketing the crop. 



11. Determining treatment of plantation after harvesting. 



1. Selecting the Location and Soil. Earliness of ripening 

 is usually important. Sandy or gravelly soils and those with 

 a slope giving the maximum of sunshine help in this regard. 

 Loams with a good moisture supply will yield more heavily, 

 with maturity somewhat delayed, than lighter and drier soils. 

 Sandy or gravelly loams underlain with clay, that are reten- 

 tive of moisture but loose enough for drainage and easy 

 tillage, are desirable. Soils with high clay content are likely 

 to cause loss through freezing and '^heaving" in the colder sec- 



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