Our Block of Progressive, 
The Culture of Strawberries 
There is no plant that adapts itself so readily to 
all soils and conditions as the Strawberry. Good 
drainage is of the most importance but the plant 
should have plenty of moisture at fruiting time, 
A good sandy loam is the best soil for strawber- 
ries, but it is a fact that any soil that will produce 
good corn, i)otatoes, or other crops, will grow good 
berries. However, you should use care and judg- 
ment in selecting your bed for strawberries, as 
your success in a great measure depends on this 
selection. You certainly wish to grow them to the 
best advantage and to do so it is necessary that 
your soil be in perfect condition. We have grown 
plants on a number of different soils, and we find 
that a rich sandy loam gives best results. Proper 
drainage is also necessary, and if the natural lay 
of the land is such that all surplus water runs off, 
all well and good, if not the land should be ditch- 
ed and tiled. Money invested in tile to carry water 
off your berry fields will return excellent profits. 
In planning your strawberry field you should be 
careful to select a field where the air has plenty 
of circulation, to ward off the frosts. If possible, 
select a rich eastern slope. This will assure you 
of early berries. 
PREPARING THE SOIL. In our experience we 
have found that late fall plowing is most desir- 
able, as the freezing in winter tends to pulverize 
the soil, and if your soil is infested with insects 
many of them will be destroyed through the win-* 
ter. Plow your soil as deep as practicable, and as 
soon in spring as possible work up well with 
harrow. Just before planting go over the ground 
with a heavy float to level and firm the soil. This 
will leave the ground in splendid condition for 
plantins^ which should be done as soon as possible. 
FERTILIZING. We have tried a number of the 
different commercial brands of fertilizer, but in all 
cases we recommend the use of well rotted stable 
manure, where it is procurable. We apply it at 
the rate of about 12 loads per acre on our propa- 
gating beds. You cannot get your soil too rich 
and the richer you get it the larger will be your 
returns. If unable to get stable manure and fer- 
tilizer is used, it should be sown on after the 
plants are set and cultivated into the soil. 
SETTING THE PLANTS. For marking we use 
a home made hand marker, marking three rows at 
a time. For setting choose a day if possible when 
there is no wind and right after a little shower. 
A common garden spade may be used for making 
the holes, which is done by putting in the ground 
six or eight inches and pull toward you, then take 
out. This should leave an opening that will read- 
ily receive the plant. Hold plant in this hole with 
hand and close hole with foot and press firmly. 
The best method is for one to make the holes and 
the other to set plants. Do not make n number of 
holes ahead of the setting as they will soon dry 
out. The plants should be carried in a pail so 
the roots are not exposed to the sun or wind. 
Be sure that your plants are set properly ; not too 
shallow or too deep. They should be set the same 
depth as they were before being dug. with the 
crown of the plant even with the surface of the 
ground. Your success depends to a great extent 
in the care of your setting. Cultivation should 
begin as soon after planting as possible. The sur- 
face soil should be stirred very shallow and not to 
close to the plants. This early cultivation is essen- 
tial for several reasons, as it tends to hold the 
moisture and closes all openings that may be near 
the plants. This cultivation should be repeated 
every few days throughout the growing season, aa 
it keeps the soil moist and loose and enables the 
young runner plants to catch root. Hoeing the 
plants is just as important as cultivating as it is 
impossible to loosen all the soil or get all the 
weeds with the cultivator. Hoe the plants regu- 
larly and do not allow the weeds to grow or the 
soil to bake around the young plants. 
THE MATTED ROW. This is the most common 
and we believe the most profitable method of grow- 
ing strawberries. This system is particularly pop- 
ular where berries are grown for commercial pur- 
poses, and where farm labor is scarce. Less labor 
is required in the setting and growing the plants 
and the crop of fruits is much larger. With this 
system the rows are from three to four feet apart, 
and the plants 18 inches apart in the row. The 
plants may be ti-eated so as to make the rows as 
wide as desired. We recommend a row about 16 
inches wide, as the berries will be of good size 
and easily picked. You should not allow your rows 
to become too wide or the plants too thick as your 
fruit will be small and of inferior quality. 
MULCHING. If the nature of the soil is such 
that it is likely to heave during the winter, it will 
be well for you to apply a good coat of wheat 
straw or other litter to protect your plants. The 
best, time to apply the mulch is after the ground 
has frozen, so you can go on with your team. 
About two tons to the acre should be used. Spring 
rains will make this heavy and it should be puUed 
in the center of the rows, after the plants start 
to grow. 
PICKING BLOSSOMS FROM NEW SET 
PLANTS. The fruit stems should be pinched 
from all June bearing varieties during the summer 
following planting. This throws the strength and 
vitiality into the roots and develops a strong 
healthy plant that will give you a big crop of ber- 
ries the following season. 
All blossoms should he pinched off the Fall- 
bearing varieties until the middle of July. This 
will give your plant a good start and it will pro- 
duce better berries than if allowed to fruit imme- 
diately after planting. 
