GREAT CROPS OF STRAWBERRIES AND HOW TO GROW THEM 
Copyright 1912 by R. M. Kellogg Co.. Three Rivers, Mich. 
7 
I 
REMOVING THE MULCfflNG BEFORE DIGGING 
have a soil which is very spongy, and by roll- 
ing it firmly the soil grains are pressed close- 
ly together so as to admit only the amount of 
air required for the use of bacterial germs. 
A large quantity of humus naturally increas- 
es the number of bacteria and makes them 
more active in the performance of their work, 
which is so essential to plant growth. 
And vetch we consider the greatest humus- 
maker and nitrogen gatherer of all the leg- 
umes. The humus furnished by the vetch 
also assists greatly in retaining the moisture 
which is stored up in the soil by winter rains 
and melting snows, and when this moisture 
works up by capillary attraction, it brings 
with it the potassium, phosphorus, nitrogen 
and other plant-food elements which Nature 
has stored in the lower sub-soil. The phos- 
phate rock, which has been 
Nitrogen and turned under with the vetch 
Humus Essential ^^.^^j^ally disintegrates and 
becomes available in the proportions to best 
supply the plants with that most important 
plant builder. The sulphate of potash fur- 
nishes the potassium which must be present 
in the soil in order to build up strong and 
vigorous plants. Nitrogen is the builder of 
the vegetative parts of the plant. It deep- 
ens the color of the foliage, which gives the 
plant increased activity and health. 
Potash is essential to the formation and 
transference of starch in plants. No other 
element can take the place of potash in per- 
forming this work. Potash is important al- 
s ) on account of its influence upon the devel- 
opment of the woody parts of stems and in 
building into the plant the fibrous matter so 
essential where plants are to be shipped long 
distances. Our scientific use of this element 
is one reason why the Kellogg plants carry a 
longer distance and stand more rough usage 
while in transit than do ordinary plants. 
Phosphorus, which is supplied by the phos- 
phate rock we use, aids in the nutrition of 
the plant by furnishing the needed quantities 
of phosphoric acid. They phosphorus Matures 
aid the plant to assimilate ^^^^^ p^^jj 
other elements which they 
could not use without the aid of phosphates. 
The phosphorus aids also in bringing the plants 
to their full maturity. No plant ever reaches 
full development or becomes fully matured 
where phosphorus is lacking. 
After preparing our soil in the manner de- 
scribed, we mark out the rows east and west 
and north and south, as setting the plants 
in check-rows admits of cultivation both ways. 
The cultivators are started immediately after 
the plants are set and are kept going al- 
most continually in both ways until runners 
