August 4,1881.] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 117 
POULTRY AND PIGEON CHRONICLE. 
THE FIELD CULTIVATION OF STRAWBERRIES. 
( Continued from page 04.) 
The employment of steam power in the tillage of land for 
Strawberries was alluded to last week because deeper and more 
effective stirring of the soil may be made than can be done by 
horse labour. It is difficult to cultivate deeper than 18 inches 
with a full complement of strong horses, yet it i3 comparatively 
easy to thoroughly loosen the subsoil by steam power to the depth 
of 2 feet. When we consider that our success will mainly depend 
upon the depth at which the soil has been broken we are bound 
to take advantage of the assistance of steam. Cropping the land 
and its previous treatment before fallowing will also have to be 
considered. Some farmers advocate the cultivation of Potatoes 
as the means of partially cleaning and manuring the land. There 
is, however, one plan which we have not seen referred to by 
Strawberry cultivators which we can recommend. For instance, 
if an old lea, either of Saintfoin or Grasses, should be intended for 
culture, we would pare and stifle-burn the turf about li inch in 
depth. This will yield a large quantity of ashes, affording an 
abuudaut supply of mineral manures, all of which are essentials 
in Strawberry culture. As soon as these ashes can be obtained 
and spread, which in ordinary seasons may be best done in May 
and June, the ploughing and subsoiling may be done imme¬ 
diately if the land is free from Couch Grass ; if not, fallowing the 
surface should be continued until it is quite clean. We do not, 
however, by any means object to Potatoes being taken if the land 
is heavily manured at planting time, because the deep steam 
culture and subsoiling may be done in October, or as soon as the 
Potato crop is cleared off. 
Before going any farther in the matters of tillage let us con¬ 
sider the situation and position of the farm; for although it is 
extremely important that it should be near a railway station, yet 
it is of still more consequence that we should be able to command 
the services of women, girls, and boys for picking. There will be 
less difficulty in the future, for the population i3 sure to increase 
in the vicinity of stations ; still we must be certain of sufficient 
hand labour being available before deciding upon cultivating 
Strawberries, and this will be more likely to be secured in the 
neighbourhood of small towns and populous villages. If this 
industry should extend, as we think it will, there is no reason 
why the migration of labour should not take place in the same 
manner as hop-picking is provided for. The home farmer in the 
selection of fields must be guided by their position more than by 
the nature of the soil. Fields for the growth of this fruit if 
situated near the farmsteading could be more easily provided 
with yard or box manure, which will be necessary, especially if 
the land is poor and dry. In the event, however, of the land 
being a good sound loam artificial manures will prove quite 
sufficient, and may be used with equal or more advantage, espe¬ 
cially if the land is outlying. In choosing and laying out fields 
for Strawberry cultivation we should select land moderately level, 
and if sheltered in the distance by hills or woodlands so much the 
better, and the best aspect is south. The size of the fields may 
well vary from 4 acres to 8 acres, taking the latter where the most 
shelter is obtained by growing timber. In the absence of trees or 
hedges lay out the land into 4-acre pieces, and for shelter plant 
evergreen hedge=, these to run the whole length of the field on 
the eastern and western sides, because the east winds are the 
most damaging in winter and early spring, whilst the west winds 
are often so strong at blooming and fruiting time as to seriously 
injure the crop. As we recommend the lines of plants to run 
direct north and south in order to facilitate cultivation, manur- 
ing, picking, and removal of fruit, we advise that a roadway 
be retained under the hedges on either side at both ends, and 
if the field is 8 acres across the centre also. Thus a road made 
8 feet wide will secure complete communication for all purposes, 
but especially the roadways under the hedges are advisable, 
because no good fruit can be grown near the hedges when they 
are allowed to run up to the height of 10 or 12 feet or more. 
These, however, should be closely trimmed on both sides, and 
topped at the required height. 
On the home farm under varying circumstances as regards 
preparation of the land for planting, two periods only can be 
properly chosen for planting—viz., March or April, otherwise 
July or August, moist weather at the time being of the first 
consequence. In order that all the cultivation and tillage may 
be done without the use of the spade or fork, and also that the 
plantation may be retained in full bearing as long as possible, 
it is of the highest consequence that the distance between the 
rows should be wide. We find that growers who have planted 
at a yard apart between the lines have not only succeeded in 
obtaining large crops of first-class fruit, but have retained their 
plantations on the perennial system for a period of ten years 
or more with full profit and advantage. We therefore recom¬ 
mend the home farmer to set the plants 3 feet apart between the 
lines, and at 18 inches apart in the lines, and at the end of three 
or four years to remove every alternate plant, so that they shall 
afterwards stand at 3 feet apart each way. This will allow inter- 
culture by horse labour to be done both lengthways and crossways 
without injury to the stools : in fact, it must greatly benefit the 
plants, as it is chiefly from their having so much room for rooting, 
and the tillage, including subsoiling once a year, which has also 
the effect of root-pruning, that enables the stools to be retained 
for the longest period. It also allows this large space to be culti¬ 
vated and subsoiled in the autumn of every year ; for although it 
is not advisable to disturb or loosen the earth near the stools, yet 
it is of great consequence that the interculture should be complete, 
thus giving the home farmer the opportunity if it is required to 
continue the growth of Strawberries on the same land for a long 
series of years. 
Strong well-rooted plants should be obtained if possible grown 
on beds for the purpose upon the farm, and thus save the expense 
of purchasing. When on a large scale it is important to have the 
plants ready to hand ; at the same time the growth of plants of 
various sorts may prove an experiment, and to some extent indi¬ 
cate the sorts suitable for the soil and climate in which they are 
to be grown in the future. In manuring the soil for Strawberries 
plenty of long horse or box manure will be at hand, but this 
should be reserved for application in the month of April. In case 
of any deficiency half-decayed leaves obtained from the wood¬ 
lands and shrubberies will answer the purposes of keeping the 
ground moist, encourage surface-rooting, and also assist in keep¬ 
ing the fruit clean. We advocate liberal dressings of artificial 
manures, such as bone superphosphate and kainit, the latter 
being a compound of salts and potash. The kainit should be 
applied at the time of ploughing between the rows, and the super¬ 
phosphate in the furrow just before the subsoiling, in order that 
it may become mixed with the subsoil. We do not advocate 
guano, because we shall get enough ammonia from the dung. 
We must now refer to the cultivation between the rows, and 
planting. When two rows are set out at 3 feet apart there will 
be a space for cultivation of about 18 inches, which gives room 
for two furrows to be ploughed by the one-horse plough, the 
subsoiler following in the track of each furrow drawn by two 
strong horses, and, as we have previously stated, this work should 
be done in October. In planting, instead of setting in holes made 
by the spade, draw a furrow with the plough 4 inches deep, spread 
out the roots of the plants in the furrow, and cover them by hand 
with the fine earth from the furrow side, to be trodden down 
firmly. The plants will then be somewhat below the surface, 
giving the opportunity for earthing-up a little with the plough 
every spring. In order that a clear course may be obtained for 
the autumn cultivation the runners should be cut away from 
between the plants, leaving, however, their foliage to protect the 
crowns of the stools during the winter months. By the adoption 
of these plans in winter and the following spring any exuberance 
of foliage will be checked, and more strength will consequently 
be thrown into the blossom buds. For the early soils, such as 
sands and gravels, the Early Crimson Pine variety will answer ; 
but for the sound loamy soils Sir Joseph Paxton is a good firm 
