4 
ROBERTS’ READY TO GROW STRAWBERRY PLANTS 
MANURES AND FERTILIZERS (Continued) 
Nitrogen stimulates plant growth. It is necessary in success¬ 
ful strawberry culture, but must not be used too heavily, or the 
plant will produce too much foliage. Where foliage is too rank 
the berries cannot mature for lack of sunshine and air. 
Phosphoric acid stimulates fruit bud formation and tends to 
make the berry ripen earlier. It can be applied liberally. 
We have very good results from applications of an analysis of 
4% Nitrogen, 8% Phosphoric Acid and 5% Potash applied as a 
topdresser in either late September or late January. 
MULCHING 
Mulching should be more generally practiced, especially in the 
Northern states. Mulching is accomplished by spreading a mode¬ 
rate layer of wheat straw, or other similar material, directly upon 
the beds during the early winter. The object of mulching is to 
keep the plants from “heaving”, or “throwing out” of the ground 
during the frequent thaws of winter. It also protects against 
out-right freezing of the plants during severe winters. The mulch 
should be removed when growth appears in the Spring. In sections 
where late frosts are fatal to blossoms the mulch should be left 
upon the beds for a longer period, thus retarding blossoms until 
late frosts are over. When removing the mulch, it should be raked 
into the middle of the row, where it will protect the fruit from 
becoming gritty from splashing during heavy rains. It will also 
retard the growth of weeds and grass in the middle of the row. 
STRAWBERRY ENEMIES 
Probably tfie strawberry plant and it’s fruit are less subject 
to attack by pests and disease than any crop grown. We have 
fruited many crops of strawberries, and have never suffered any 
loss by pests, or disease. The most common enemies of the straw¬ 
berry plant and it’s fruit are the White Grub Worm and Straw¬ 
berry Weevil. 
WHITE GRUB WORM: The White Grub worm is the larvae 
of the common May-beetle, or June-bug. Their life extends over 
a period of two years or more. They live in sod and stubble land. 
They attack newly set strawberry plants during the months of 
June and July, eating the fiberous roots completely, thus causing 
the plant to die. The result is a badly broken strawberry bed. 
The White Grub can be practicably avoided by choosing soil 
which is free from sod and stubble. Never set a young straw¬ 
berry field in soil, which was planted in corn the previous year, 
and avoid heavy sod. 
