I 
Strawberries in Florida 
Close Culture and Remarkable Income 
ORTHERN FRUITS IN FLORIDA.—Several 
3 'ears ago while visiting my old home in Penn- 
sj'lvania, during cherxy time, one of my old neigh¬ 
bors inquired how the cherry crop had been in 
Florida. At first I thought he was jesting, but 
finding he meant the question in good faith, I found 
it necessary to explain that cherries as known, 
in the North, as well as other northern fruits gen¬ 
erally, small fruits or tree, do not thrive, in fact 
most of them do not grow at all in the southern 
part of Florida. Really about the only, and that 
a notable exception, is the sti-tlwberry. I mention 
was 2.295 qts. and was sold for the total sum of 
$70.3.80. That yield is at the rate of 11,107 qts. per 
acre worth at the same rate $3,400.13. The large 
yield, which was a little more than double my 
former average, was due in part to extra favorable 
season. 
HIGH PRICES.—^The high prices, which aver¬ 
aged slightly over 30.6 cents per qt, as against for¬ 
mer averages of about 20 cents, were due partly 
to a crowded tourist season, and partly to the must 
severe freeze in many years, early in February, 
that nearly ruined most of the berries in the dis¬ 
trict, the greater part of which were located some 
miles distant, wdiile mine were but slightly damaged. 
The berries were not I'etailed but delivered by auto 
few varieties fruit well, and all that do, bear during 
the long period mentioned, showing that that partic¬ 
ular adaptability' determines their usefulness here. 
Some of the most popular varieties lAith, yield very 
sparingly, or not at all, here, the “everbearer.s” 
among the rest. There are probably more Mission¬ 
ary grown in the State than all ocner varieties com¬ 
bined, at present, but Brandywine, the variety I 
had this j'ear has always given me best results. 
Klondyke, Excelsior, Aroma, Nic Ohmer and a few 
others are grown to some extent and I know from 
my own experiments and those of others of a few 
promising varieties, most important of which is a 
new berry named Lea, not listed in many cata¬ 
logues. In most respects it very closely resembles 
A Watermelon Crop In a Young Orchard. Fig. 401 
:if. the above Incident, because such misconception may 
be more common than is generally suppo.sed. 
BIG STRAWBERRY YIELDS.—Strawberries not 
only' thrive here, but Avith pi'oper care, px’oduce crops 
that compare favorably with good crops anywhere. 
I have grown a number of crops, both North and 
here, that I have considered satisfactory, but this 
past season I had a little patch that far outyielded 
anything I ever had befox*e and owing to circum¬ 
stances the prices received were so exceptional that 
I think the data may be of interest to others. The 
money value per unit of area is probably the highest 
I have ever realized on any crop. The dimensions of 
the plot Avere 561/2x160 ft., containing 9,000 sq. ft., 
or just a trifle over one-fifth acre. The total yield 
to stores and hotels in the city of Miaxni, five miles 
aAA'aj\ The fix’st berries Avere sold .Tanuary 2 and 
the last June 26, with no total break in that time. 
LONG FRUITING SEASON.—^The long period of 
contixixious px’odxxctioix, five months or xnox’e, is the 
one striking peculiarity of strawberries here. Pro- 
dxxction is not unifox’m dxxxdng the season, usxxally 
the quantity rises three times. The high points 
in this crop were in middle February, middle April 
and early Juxie; the heaviest production coming in 
February. Tlie largest quantity picked in on!e 
day was 167 quarts. The patch was picked over 
57 times in the 176-day crop period, making almost 
an exact average of every third day. 
VARIETIES.—All varieties groAV well, but only a 
Missionary, bxxt I am inclined to think it is a 
steadier producer and more prolific. 
PLANTS SET SINGLY.—Climatic conditions 
here, compel the use of a xnethod of culture that may 
as Avell be intensive as otherAvise; that is the matted 
roAV is not a success, and it is necessary to set 
out the plants singly and in order. The main dif¬ 
ference in local'practice is the number of plants set 
per acre, ranging from 16,000 to over 49,000, which 
I set per acre, and which I am sure is xnore profit¬ 
able under my conditions than any less. In fact, 
I am quite sure that the average crop through the 
State, Avhich I understand is only about 2,500 qts. 
per acre, could be greatly increased by closer plant¬ 
ing. I have often thought, since using this inten- 
