THE W. F. ALLEN CO., SALISBURY, MD. 
9 
A hoe and 12-tooth cultivator are the best tools to use. In 
general, the patch should be cultivated every ten days, or two 
weeks anyway. Skillful use of the cultivator will make neces¬ 
sary much less hand-labor. 
Young plants, set out in early spring, will blossom freely at 
the regular blossoming season, and if not cut off, will set and bear 
quite a few berries. But it is best to cut these blossoms off so 
that the plants can make a more vigorous growth and be in better 
shape to bear a full crop of fine fruit the following spring. 
Manure and Fertilizer. Thorough cultivation is the best 
treatment for a strawberry patch. Barnyard manure is the best 
fertilizer you can apply to the field. Applied broadcast before 
the plants are set (see Preparing the Land, page 7) is the best 
way to get them started early and make a good growth. Ma¬ 
nure can be applied, as a top dressing on the plants, best in the fall. 
If handled in this way it acts as a mulch during the winter and 
is very beneficial to the fruiting beds in the spring. 
If manure is not used, a high grade commercial fertilizer can 
be used to start the young plants off. Apply this broadcast 
before the plants are set or as a top dressing afterward. Never 
put it in a furrow under the plants unless in very moist ground. 
If stable manure is not used, a top dressing of fertilizer in the early 
spring will be very beneficial to the fruiting beds. For young 
plants just set or for fruiting beds any fertilizer containing 2-5 % 
available ammonia and 5-10 % available phosphoric acid should 
be satisfactory. We use a 5-8-5 fertilizer for top dressing in 
Spring. 
Perfect and Imperfect Varieties. Perfect flowering va¬ 
rieties planted alone will mature a crop of perfect fruit. Imper¬ 
fect flowering varieties should have perfect varieties planted with 
them, at least one row for every five or six. When two varieties 
are used in equal amounts, they are often alternated three or four 
rows of each. In our price-list, perfect flowering varieties are 
followed by “per”—imperfect varieties by “imp.” 
Mulching. A mulch is applied for one or all of three reasons: 
First, to protect the plants from freezing and thawing of the soil 
in winter; second, to keep the soil cool and moist during the sea¬ 
son when fruit is being produced; third, to keep the berries from 
being spattered with dirt by rain during fruiting season. 
The mulch should be applied in the fall. In the spring when 
plants begin to start this is raked to the center of the rows and 
there serves the purpose of retarding the growth of weeds and 
grass, keeping the ground loose and moist and the fruit clean. 
Use coarse manure, marsh grass, rye straw or similar material. 
This Letter was Forwarded to Us. 
Hopkins County, Ky., March 24, 1920. 
Mrs. J. W. Summers, 
Earlington, Ky. 
Dear Mrs. Summers: 
Your letter received, and for your information I am enclosing herewith 
the W. F. Allen’s Book of Berries of Salisbury, Md., which will give you the 
desired information, and will say further that these people are thoroughly 
reliable and send out the best rooted plants of any nursery I have ever had 
dealings with. I don’t think you will miss it if you order the varieties that 
I have marked with a pencil in this little book. 
Wishing you all kinds of good luck, I remain, 
C. H. Skinner. 
Nicest He EYer Bought. 
Marion County, Fla., January 15, 1920. 
I got the plants O. K. I must say they were the nicest ones I have ever 
bought. I want to try out the Progressive, and I will probably give you 
a nice order some day if I can get the land. I believe they will do well here. 
Thanks for such nice ones. ^ 
_ M. W. McDavid/JIS 
We Have Shipped Over 500 Orders for This Firm. 
Philadelphia County, Pa., February 17, 1920. 
From now on we will send you orders for strawberry layer plants which 
you may book for shipment at the proper time. These can be sent by parcel 
post as in the past, or large quantities by express. We trust that we will 
be able to do quite a large business this year. Would also state that your 
stock has been perfectly satisfactory, as we have not to date received any 
complaints of the stock you have forwarded direct to our customers. 
Henry F. Michell Co. 
Delighted. 
Hillsborough County, Fla., May 7,1920. 
Your plants were fine and I am delighted with same. 
Mrs. M. P. Mills. 
