6 J. H. Shivers Plant Farms, Allen, Maryland 
Successful Ways of Growing 
Strawberries 
PLANTING GUIDE 
In this limited space I will give directions for the most necessary- 
details for successful strawberry growing. You may get more in¬ 
formation by writing us or from the U. S. Department of Agriculture, 
at Washington, D. C., who will upon request, send you bulletins on 
strawberry culture, free, and postpaid. A strawberry growers should 
take this means of keeping in touch with the newer developments 
and methods being employed in present day strawberry culture. 
SOIL. Practically any soil that will grow good field crops will 
grow good berries—good rich, sandy loam preferred. All kinds of 
fruit plants demand that the soil be able to hold moisture well, and at 
the same time drain easily. 
FITTING THE SOIL. Soil for setting strawberry plants should 
be plowed deeply and harrowed until it is loose and level. I like 
Fall plowing as it allows the soil to settle and turned under vegetable 
matter to decay. Spring plowing is all right, but Fall plowing is better 
when possible. The land should be thoroughly harrowed in Spring, 
followed with a culti-packer or roller to preserve moisture after 
planting. 
MANURE AND FERTILIZER 
Stable manures are the best fertilizers, I have found. They not 
only furnish the necessary plant food, but also make the heavier soils 
of finer texture, and the light sandy soils of greater water holding 
capacity. Should be applied and plowed under in the fall. 
Where home manures are not convenient, it is a good plan to 
broadcast a heavy application of commercial fertilizers just before the 
plants are set in the spring (two to three weeks in advance is not too 
much). Sheep manure is good, also a mixture of 1500 pounds of tank- 
