STRAWBERRIES 
59 
ripen as soon, but the crops hold on longer and are not affected quite as 
much during drouthy seasons. 
Good drainage comes first. Low, frosty places should be avoided. 
The cold air settles down in the low places, and it is here strawberries 
are more apt to be injured from spring frosts. On the other hand, land 
on small islands near rivers and lakes and along the shores of large 
bodies of water is less apt to be affected by frost, as the water holds a 
great deal of warmth and prevents frost injury on nearby lands. For the 
small home planting and the garden, the only thing to remember is not 
to plant on land that is wet and soggy for any length of time. 
q_ji Strawberries will thrive in a great many soils and locations. No 
other plants can be grown with profit in as many different parts 
of the country as strawberries. The ideal strawberry soil is a good loam, 
rich in humus and well drained. It is generally recommended that any 
soil that is good for corn and potatoes is good for strawberries, but there 
are thousands of acres of strawberries grown profitably on sandy soils 
that are too poor for good farming land, and others on rocky hillsides that 
are too thin for farm crops. In this Ozark country the rockiest land is 
often the most productive; frequently the flint rocks are so thick on the 
ground that they form a very satisfactory natural mulch. New land 
gives best results, because of the several inches of leaf mould plowed 
under after it is cleared of timber. Thriving as the strawberry does in 
all kinds of soils, it is impossible to recommend any one kind of soil that 
will give the best results. It is literally true that all soils are good for 
strawberries. The one requirement in every case is that it will be well 
drained. 
Preparation of '^'^^ l&nd should be put in a good mellow condition. 
J K Such tools as you use in your regular farm work 
^^^(^ can be used. The land should be fertile, and able to 
hold moisture without being water-logged. It should be "mellow," so 
that it can be kept in good condition at all times. The preparation that 
favors any of the above requirements is always helpful. The land should 
be plowed deep in the fall or early spring. 
As a rule, it is advisable to plow damp or clay soil or sod land in the 
fall. Otherwise spring plowing is generally favored where it is possible 
early in the season. In the spring it should be harrowed and disced until 
it is settled as deep as it was plowed. It is particularly important on 
spring-plowed land to have the ground well settled before the plants are 
set. 
A good method of plowing is to turn a furrow at least 14 inches wide. 
Do not turn the soil clear over, but have one edge of the furrow lapped 
on the edge of its neighbor. The ground should be plowed 7 inches or 
more if the top soil is that thick. Never plow up more than- ^ to 1 inch 
of the sub-soil at once. Sod land should be planted to a cultivated crop, 
such as corn or potatoes, for one year, to rid it of a white grub which feeds 
on the roots of strawberry plants. Many growers prefer to manure heav- 
ily in the fall, and plow it under; others manure in the spring after the 
ground is plowed, discing it in and pulverizing the ground. 
In the spring before planting, the ground should be thoroughly 
chopped up with a disc and harrowed with a spike-tooth harrow. Work 
the soil until it is pulverized and level. It is generally advisable to follow 
the harrow with a roller to pack down the earth. Usually a wooden roller 
is heavy enough for this work, except on very sandy soils. A plank drag 
is better on clay soils, as a roller is inclined to pack the soil too tight. 
Do not fail to remember that on land that you have plowed or 
disced deeply it is necessary to have it well packed before the plants 
are set. 
Vflrif»tip<! What strawberries are best suited to your soil, location, 
Vdneucb requirements? That is the first and one of the most 
important questions to decide. Must it be an early or a lato variety? 
