STRAWBERRIES 
Fertilize the ground as for a good field crop — Commercial fertilizers produce 
the least weeds. Select ground that had hoed corn on last year. The best land is 
one that heavy clover plowed under and then one hoed crop. Keep your land thor- 
oughly cultivated, don’t allow the weeds to get a start. For field culture mark out 
rows 3 to 4 feet wide and set plants 1 8 to 20 inches apart in the rows. 20 by 36 in- 
ches 8712 plants. 18 by 48 inches 7260. 
Set plants as early in the spring as possible. Set with the crowns level with 
the surface of the ground, and press the earth firmly about the roots. 
Cut oft blossoms from spring-set plants the first year. Runners that are to be 
cut should be cut as soon as they appear — not after they have sapped the plant to 
make useless growth. 
Keep the surface of the ground continually stirred — not so much to kill weeds 
as to con.serve moisture. Cultivate after every shower and once in eight or ten days 
during drouth 
Cover the ground between the plants with .straw, or litter in November. 
Cover the plants themselves as .soon a; hard freezing begins. Remove the mulch 
from over the jilants when growth commences in the spring. 
Keep down weeds in the spring by very shallow cultivation or pulling by 
hanrl and con.serve moisture bv mulch among the plants. 
The following description includes the best of the standard sort also the most 
promising of those of recent introduction. I have omitted a number of varieties 
not on the list. They have not proved desirable for fruit. 
EARLY VARIETIES 
Fairfield. — ( Per. )This is a money maker among the early varieties; another 
year’s experience leads us to believe that this is really a valuable early sort. At the 
Ohio Experiment Station where there were one hundred and sixty varieties, wel! 
grown and carefully mulched, it was the most pro<iuctive of all the early kinds; the 
quality is also very good. Its season is only two or three days behind Mitchell’s 
Early, Hoffman, Excelsior, etc., and is far ahead of them in .size, quality and pro- 
ductiveness. No one will go wrong in planting this for an early berry. 
Superior. — (Per, ) One of the most popular varieties. The plants are vigor- 
ous growers. with dark green foliage. Immensely productive of medium to large 
bright red berries; very firm and excellent shippers. Ripens early and continues a 
long time in bearing. 
Senator Dunlap. (Per) — A seedling of the 'Warfield. A variety that is 
adapted to all sections. It is largely planted by commercial growers and considered 
one of the best standard varieties. Plants medium in size, a bright, glossy green 
without a sign of disease and very productive Fruit large, regular shape, a bright 
glossy red, a good shipper and of excellent quality. To grow the largest berries the 
plants on rich soil should be restricted. 
Haverland. (Imp.)— One of the old reliable sorts, and succeeds on any soil. 
The plant is a good grower and an enormous bearer. The fruit is large, long coni- 
cal, bright red, moderately firm and of fair quality. The fruit stalks are not strong 
enough to hokl up their berries, so mulching is a necessity. Early. 
