STRAWBERRY GROWING 
5 
The plants selected for planting are those having yellow roots, 
those with black roots being discarded as old or .diseased. Careful 
growers also prefer plants that are nearest the old ones as the strongest 
plants are usually the first ones that set on the runners while those at 
the tips are weak. 
Setting the Plants. Previous to planting narrow furrows are run 
with a shovel tooth cultivator, or similar implement, and the plants are 
set along one edge of the furrow. Two men work together; one opens 
the soil with a spade, the roots of a plant are placed in the hole behind 
the spade and spread apart with the fingers of the hand which holds the 
plant, the spade is then withdrawn and the soil is pressed firmly against 
the roots with the foot. The plants when set should have the crowns 
level with the surface of the soil. A stream of water is allowed to 
follow in the furrow close behind the planters and in this way the soil 
is settled and the plants watered at the same time. The distance be¬ 
tween rows and plants in the row is varied somewhat according to 
conditions of land and the variety of strawberry planted. 
System of Planting. Two systems, the hedge row or hill system 
and the matted row, are followed. In the former the rows are set 2^4 
—3 feet apart with the plants twelve to fifteen inches apart in the row. 
All runners are kept off and strong individual plants are formed. This 
system is but little practiced here as it is adapted only to small areas 
on account of the greater amount of labor involved. The matted row 
is practically the universal system practiced in commercial strawberry 
growing in this state. It is claimed by some that it is the best system 
adapted to our climate as the fruit is better shaded from the hot sun 
while ripening. The usual distance between rows is 3 to 4 feet, the 
more nearly level the land the farther apart. For many varieties the 
plants are set 12—18 inches apart in the row, while such as the Senator 
Dunlap and other strong spreading sorts are set 18—24 inches apart. 
Cultivation and Irrigation. The first irrigation is given at plant¬ 
ing time and thereafter as often as needed to keep the young plants in 
a vigorous growing condition. Cultivation is given as soon after irri¬ 
gation as the land will admit without danger of puddling the soil. 
Irrigation is not usually necessary oftener than every ten days to two 
weeks and the best growers aim to keep the plat absolutely free from 
weeds, especially during the first year. This necessitates hand hoeing 
together with the work of the cultivator. Of the latter implement one 
having twelve to fourteen spike or narrow shovel teeth and capable of 
being narrowed down readily is preferred by most growers. As the 
season advances the cultivator is gradually narrowed thus allowing the 
runners to root along the sides of the rows. In most cases the mat¬ 
ted rows will be fifteen to eighteen inches wide at the end of the season 
with a correspondingly narrow clear space between them. Cultivation 
and irrigation are as a rule discontinued by September first to fifteenth 
depending somewhat on how late weeds continue to appear. 
Winter irrigation is impossible in many districts because water 
is unobtainable at that season. In districts where water is available 
