portance when the extra fruitfulness of early 
formed runner plants is considered. 
Training* 
We believe the well spaced matted row is the 
best system for getting the largest crops of the 
best berries. From four to six plants per square 
foot are ample for fine results. If it can be done 
economically it will pay berry growers to use 
some method which will prevent thickly matted 
rows. 
Advantages of Spacing 
Fields that have been restricted to a maximum 
of six to eight plants per square foot of row 
have the following advantages over fields where 
plants are very thickly set. 
The total yield will be larger. 
The berries will be much larger in average 
size. 
They will stand wet weather with less rotting. 
Berries will not run down in size as fast, 
especially in dry seasons. 
Mulching materials can be used more effec¬ 
tively. 
Conditions for perfect pollination of the blos¬ 
soms are more favorable. 
Berries are better in quality. 
Berries are easier to pick, resulting in less 
over-ripe berries. 
Spacing will pay if the cost can be kept fairly 
low. 
Spacing Methods 
Spacing, to be profitable must cost less than 
the increased returns. With this in mind we 
suggest that growers should not be too fussy 
about exact distances in spacing. However, some 
attempt should be made to restrict the number 
of plants when their number becomes excessive. 
The following simple practices have been found 
helpful. 
Much spacing and thinning can be done when 
the plants are hoed without very much extra 
cost. A better job is done if those who do the 
hoeing can be made to realize that extra plants 
over four to six per square foot are nothing but 
W'eeds and are just as harmful. 
Growers should avoid close horse cultivation 
after runners have formed to prevent crowding 
late set runners back into the row. 
If plants are kept well spaced, wider rows 
will mean more good berries. Well-spaced fruit¬ 
ing rows three feet across are not too wide. 
After the early runners have formed a row of 
the desired width and the permanent plants have 
become established, a light rake or harrow may 
be dragged across the beds to pull late runners 
to the side of the row. They can then be cut 
off with the rolling cutter first on one side of 
the row and then the other. Some commercial 
growers are using this method with free growing 
varieties like Blakemore and Dorsett. 
Mulching 
A mulch is applied for one or all of several 
reasons: First, to guard against winter injury 
to roots and crowns by protecting them from the 
extremely low winter temperatures. Second, to 
avoid lifting the plants by the freezing and 
thawing of the soil in winter. Third, to keep the 
soil cool and moist and to retard or check growth 
of weeds and grass during the season when fruit 
is being produced. Fourth, to keep berries from 
being spattered with dirt by rain during fruiting 
season. Fifth, by delaying blooming it tends to 
prevent injury by frost in the spring. 
Time of Application. Experiments have shown 
that plants gain in hardiness during the winter 
and are much more resistant to low temperatures 
in March than in November. Thus the mulch can 
be applied early and removed early even before 
the last freezes are over unless it is left to delay 
blooming either to escape late frosts or to aim 
for a better late berry market. 
Dr. Roberts’ experiments in Wisconsin, re¬ 
ported in 1933, indicated that the common prac¬ 
tice of applying the mulch after the ground is 
hard frozen makes the work easier but may be 
too late to be fully effective. He obtained com¬ 
plete protection from an application made before 
first freezing weather but much injury to both 
crowns and roots from an equally heavy appli¬ 
cation two weeks later after a freeze had oc¬ 
curred. 
Generally speaking, mulches are not needed 
for winter protection South of Washington, D. C. 
Also the danger from partial smothering is 
greater unless watched carefully. In some sec¬ 
tions of the South a mulch of light straw or pine 
needles is applied after cultivation in the spring 
to give the other benefits of mulching if winter 
protection is not needed. 
The amount of mulch required varies from one 
to four tons per acre. In removing the mulch 
the larger amounts should be raked up and re¬ 
moved from the field. The smaller amounts may 
be pulled to the center between the rows with 
enough left on them to work down between the 
plants in the row. 
The practice of leaving a mulch on to avoid 
late frosts involves much risk, and should be 
attempted only by experienced growers or on a 
small scale. 
Materials. Wheat straw and marsh grass are 
considered the best materials, but rye, pine 
needles, coarse strawy manure and various kinds 
of hay roughage can be used to advantage. A 
good practice is to use the materials which are 
readily available at a reasonable price. 
Irrigation 
Various forms of irrigation are used by grow¬ 
ers in different sections. Any method which 
economically supplies needed water, especially 
just before fruiting time, will he helpful and 
worth while for strawberries. However, it is 
not necessary for good results. Most of the good 
berry crops in this country are produced on good 
strawberry land that has been well filled with 
organic matter by the addition of stable manure 
or green manure crops. 
Perfect and Imperfect Varieties 
All the varieties on our list except Sample 
have perfect flowers and will bear satisfactory 
crops when planted alone. Imperfect varieties 
like Sample should have some perfect variety 
of the same blooming season planted with them 
—at least one row in three or four. 
Spraying 
Spraying is not usually necessary in grow¬ 
ing strawberries successfully. Care in buying 
healthy plants and in selecting varieties immune 
or resistant to diseases and insects is much more 
important. When disease and insect troubles do 
occur we will be glad to help if we can. A serv¬ 
ice folder describing symptoms and control 
measures for some of the more important trou¬ 
bles has been prepared. This will be mailed on 
request. We suggest, however, that growers 
who are having serious trouble with their berries 
should get in touch with their county agent who 
should be familiar with local problems. These 
could not be covered adequately for all sections 
in any general circular. 
For the Small Garden 
600 lbs. of fertilizer per acre means about 1 lb. 
for each 20 feet of row. 
Canvas irrigation hose adequate for small 
berry or vegetable gardens, can be attached to 
regular garden hose, using city or home water 
supply. 
In setting, hold the plant against the straight 
side of opening made with spade or trowel. Fill 
in loose dirt on the other side and pack firmly 
against the plant with hand or foot. 
No matter how long or how short leaf stems, 
fruit stems, and roots may be at time of setting 
—have the bud of the plant just at the surface. 
If it is dry when you are ready to set plants 
turn on the sprinkler or hose and moisten the 
soil some before setting. This is safer than set¬ 
ting plants in dry soil and watering afterward. 
27 
