ALLEN’S BOOK OP BERRIES 
5 
Not only will the returns be profitable, but unlike 
other fruit crops, the RETURNS WILL BE QUICK 
and a SECOND CROP can be had with very little addi¬ 
tional labor. 
CULTURAL DIRECTIONS 
Strawberries will thrive in any type of soil that is not 
dry sand or waterlogged clay. They will often give 
good crops in soils that have been given poor prepara¬ 
tion. But, like other crops, they respond quickly to 
good cultivation. 
One of the first essentials in producing a crop of ber¬ 
ries is plenty of moisture. Springy land that is well 
drained is therefore the best type of soil. But on other 
types water can be conserved by cultivation or by 
mulching, or in most cases there may be enough natural 
rainfall at fruiting time. 
Preparing the Land. Potatoes, tomatoes, beans, cab¬ 
bage, and other truck crops usually leave the ground in 
excellent condition for Strawberries. This is because 
they are kept well cultivated for a good part of the sea¬ 
son and are usually well manured and fertilized. 
In all cases, sod land should be avoided for Straw¬ 
berries, as the white grubs winter over in such land 
and cut off young plants when set the following spring. 
If you have no other land available, plow the land dur¬ 
ing the fall and many of the grubs will be killed out 
during the winter. 
Time to Plant—Important. In the extreme South 
stock plants, free from nematode and rust, should be 
planted in February, March, or early April. In the 
middle states, March and April are the best planting 
months. In the North— April. Plant in early spring, 
just as soon as you can get your ground in condition. 
This gives plants as long a growing season as possible 
and the plants are set and growing before hot, dry 
weather comes on. Be sure to have your plants on hand 
when you are ready for them. Have your plants ship¬ 
ped early (not later than April 15 to 20—earlier if pos¬ 
sible) and heel them in in some protected place and 
cover with straw until you can plant. 
Setting the Plants. Just before planting, the ground 
should be harrowed and made as level as possible. Then 
mark out the rows and you are ready to plant. There 
are a number of different methods of planting but 
an ordinary garden trowel or a flat dibble are the best 
tools to use. Whatever tool is used try to have the 
roots of the plant spread out fan-shaped and be sure 
to have the crown just at the surface of the ground— 
not below nor above. 
Methods of Training. We prefer the narrow matted 
row, because it requires less labor. The extra foliage 
protects the fruit from scalding, and the yield of large 
well-shaped berries is usually greater than in the 1: 
system or hedge row systems. 
Cultivation. Young plants should be cultivated fre¬ 
quently after they begin to grow. This is done not only 
to keep down weeds and grass, but also to save more 
moisture. After heavy rains the soil (except very sandy 
soil) will become hard and “bake,” causing it to dry 
out quickly and be very cloddy when cultivated, unless 
the cultivation is done while soil is still damp. So it 
is best to cultivate as soon after a rain as condition 
of the soil will permit. 
In seasons of severe drought constant cultivation 
