come in direct contact with the roots of the new-set plant. 
But up to 600 pounds per acre of any good complete fertili- 
zer, say a 3-12-12 analysis, may well be used for good plant 
growth if it is thoroughly mixed with the soil, before or af- 
ter plant setting. When our field is practically prepared, we 
simply sow our fertilizer with an ordinary drill, then harrow 
with a spring toothed drag. 
In the fall, say early September, another application of 
possibly 250 pounds per acre may be made by drilling right 
in the plant row. Fertilizer should be brushed off the foliage 
to prevent burning. Fall application may be especially ben- 
eficial because the berry crop for the next season is being 
established soon afterward. 
Spring application of fertilizer of high nitrogen content 
should be relatively light, and should be attempted only by 
experienced growers. Too heavy applications may produce 
a top growth too heavy. 
PLANT SPACING 
Fruiting rows should be about four feet apart in commer- 
cial fields, where picking is done by hired labor. In small 
plantings, this distance can be held to three and one-half 
feet. 
For the distance apart in the row, attention 
should be given to the tendency to make run- 
ners, according to the variety used. A variety 
which normally makes many runners. should 
be spaced farther than one where runners are 
few. We think eighteen inches is about right 
for Premier, Mastedon, Fairfax and Chesa- 
peake, while such kinds as Catskill, Dorsett, 
Aroma, Big Joe and Gibson can be extended 
to two feet. Blakemore, Robinson and Dunlap 
will generally make a good row if set as far 
apart as thirty inches. 
~The number of plants required per acre therefore de- 
pends upon the variety used. From the above spacing, it will 
take slightly more than 7000 plants for an acre of Premier, 
Fairfax, Chesapeake or Mastodon. 5500 plants will set an 
acre of Catskill, Dorsett, Aroma, Big Joe or Gibson, while 
Robinson, Blakemore, Dunlap need about 4500 plants. 
We favor the matted row system for the best and cheap- 
est production, but no plant will do well in size of fruit or 
total marketable fruit if the plants are too close together. 
By matted row we mean a row twelve or fourteen inches 
wide with the individual plants about four inches apart in 
the row. If the vear’s growth leaves them closer, the smaller 
plants should be rigorously thinned. 
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