Z J. H. Shivers Plant Farms, Allen, Maryland 


Strawberry Culture 
The strawberry is grown in nearly every section of the United » 
States, in parts of Canada and even in Alaska. It is adapted to 
a wider range of soil and climate conditions than most small fruits. 
The crop is produced on large acreages for commercial purposes, 
while the “Strawberry Bed” forms a part of every well kept home 
garden. 
PLANTING GUIDE 
In this limited space I will give suggestions 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 grower should 
take this means of keeping in touch with the newer developments 
and methods being employed in present day strawberry culture. 
SOILS. Practically any soil that will grow good field crops wil 
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. Excellent results are secured on both 
sandy and clay types of soil under the proper cultural management. 
Any soil selected for strawberry growing should be well provided 
with organic matter as this tends to prevent heaving out of plants in 
winter and enables the crop to withstand the droughts of summer. 
Even the extreme types of soils including sandy, gravelly or stiff 
clays can be made to produce profitable crops of berries where the 
land is well improved by the addition of organic matter and the proper 
fertilizers applied. 
Organic matter in the form of legume crops, manure or sod 
should be turned under far enough in advance of planting to allow it 
to become decomposed in the soil. 
SOIL PREPARATION: 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 thoroughy harrowed in Spring, 
followed with a culti-packer or roller to preserve moisture after 
planting. It is best to plant some cover crop such as oats or rye 
which is to be plowed under except in the case of sod land which 
should be left rough over winter to kill white grub. 
Several weeks before planting, the cover crop should be turned 
under or rough land disced thoroughly. A week or 10 days before the 
plants are set, the final preparation of the plant bed should be made 
at which time the fertilizer should be applied. 
