The KEY TO STRAWBERRY PROFITS 
In cold climates, mulching is necessary to protect the 
plants during alternate freezing and thawing. If they are 
not mulched the resulting expansion and contraction breaks 
off the fine roots and greatly weakens the plants. 
Any material such as oat, wheat or rye straw, marsh hay, 
shredded corn fodder or coarse stable manure makes ideal 
mulching, or leaves will serve the purpose. It should be 
spread over the field or garden in the early winter soon 
after the first freeze, covering the plants and ground to a 
depth of about three inches. If stable manure is used, it 
should be applied thinner, spreading the strawy matter di- 
rectly over the rows of plants and the fine material between 
the rows, 
In the spring as soon as the frost leaves the ground, re- 
move the mulching which lies directly over the rows to the 
spaces between the rows. This permits the plants to grow 
without any obstruction. 
In warm climates where freezing is very light, it is un- 
necessary to cover the plants. Simply apply the mulching be- 
tween the rows and spread it around the plants under the 
foliage, forming a bedding for the berries to ripen upon. 
Mulching adds materially to the Strawberry crop and 
gives the grower bright, clean berires which are in big de- 
mand at fancy prices. 
Picking 
The proper method of picking Strawberries is to leave 
about one-half to one inch of the stem attached to the berry. 
This adds greatly to the appearance and the shipping and 
keeping qualities of the berries, thereby making it possible 
to obtain higher prices. 
Unless absolutely necessary, never pick berries when the 
plants are wet from dew or rain. Berries picked when vines 
are dry remain fresh and retain their luster much longer 
than if picked when the vines are wet. ~ 
The berries should be divided into grades by putting each 
grade in separate boxes when picking. This saves labor in 
rehandling when packing, thereby reducing expenses and 
preventing unnecessary bruising. 
Packin 
The top layer of berries in each box should be arranged 
in rows so as to ‘present an attractive appearance and also 
make the top of the box as level as possible. ‘This requires 
but little time and adds greatly to their appearance. 
Long berries should be packed on their sides, while 
round or top-shaped berires present the best appearance 
packed with the calyx and stem down. The boxes should 
then be carefully placed into crates. 
Berries of high quality packed in this manner will soon 
establish a reputation for the grower which will greatly in- 
crease his profits. . 
Preparing for Second Crop 
Strawberry plants should not be permitted to fruit more 
than two years. After the first crop has been picked, the 
foliage of standard varieties should be mowed off and re- 
moved from the patch. The rows should then be narrowed 
down by plowing a furrow from each side of the row leav- 
ing.a ridge of back-furrow between the rows. This should 
be worked down with harrows and cultivators until the fur- 
rows have been filled and the ground again made level. A 
spike-tooth harrow may be used but the teeth should be set 
with a back slant so as not to tear out the plants when cross- 
ing the rows. In small gardens this work may be done with a 
spade and garden rake. Continue to work the ground until 
the surface is smooth. This will slightly cover the crowns 
and the plants which remain in the rows will soon come up 
through the fine covering of soil. Apply a top-dressing of 
manure and continue to cultivate the same as the first year, 
and your second crop will be fully as profitable as the 
first. 
After the second year’s fruiting, plow the plants under 
and plant the ground to some other crop. 
The Everbearers 
The everbearers are so exceedingly productive and their 
fruiting season covers such a long period that it is absolute- 
ly necessary that the soil contain an abundance of plant 
food and berry building material. 
A heavy dressing of manure should be plowed under and 
thoroughly worked into the soil before the plants are set 
and a top dressing of manure applied soon after setting, 
spreading the coarse material close around the plants under 
the foliage to serve as mulching when they begin fruiting. 
The season the plants are set, all blossoms should be re- 
moved until July, after which they may be allowed to fruit 
to full capacity and they should then fruit heavily until 
freezing weather. The following year they will fruit abund- 
antly from early summer until late fall with the exception 
of a short rest period during July. 
The everbearers may be grown either in hill, single 
hedge or double hedge row system, but the hill system has 
proved to be the most profitable. It is unnecessary to mow 
off the foliage of the everbearers. However, this may be 
done if desired the second year after the early summer crop 
has been picked, at the time when the plants enter their rest 
period. If this is done prepare the bed the same as for stand- 
ard varieties. 
If these simple instructions are followed, the everbearers 
will prove exceedingly profitable either for home use or 
market. 
Irrigation 
Irrigation is an insurance policy on the crop, therefore, 
if you are situated so that you can irrigate you will find 
it highly profitable to do so. One can realize only through 
actual experience, the increased profits which result from 
irrigation. 
‘The two systems most generally used are the overhead 
or sprinkling system and the ditch or gravity system. With 
the overhead system, the water is applied in the form of 
fine rain. With the ditch system, shallow furrows or corruga- 
tions are made between the rows into which water is run 
until the entire ground is wet. The water may be obtained 
either from a well, lake, river or city water works. It may be 
applied during the heat of the day if desired without in- 
jury to the crop; however, if applied at night, the evapora- 
tion is less. The ground should be cultivated as soon after 
irrigation as conditions will permit. 
(Note: The Skinner Irrigation Company, Troy, Ohio, 
manufacture one of the best overhead irrigation systems on 
the market and they will gladly furnish complete informa- 
tion on the subject.) 
Crop Rotation 
Crop rotation is very essential in Strawberry growing. 
After plants have fruited two years, they should be plowed 
under and the ground planted to some other crop. This 
may be done as soon as they have finished their second year’s 
fruiting. 
Any of the legumes—clover, cow-peas, soy beans, velvet 
beans, vetch or alfalfa, are ideal crops for rotation because 
they add great quantities of humus and nitrogen to the soil. 
Vegetables or farm crops also may be used to advantage as 
rotation crops. 
Going Into Business 
On page 25 is one of the best methods now used for 
marketing Strawberries if you live on a main traveled road. 
A neat little roadstand such as shown there will attract many 
customers right to your door, and you will get prices for 
your berries often equal to or greater than the store prices. 
Thus you will not be sharing anything with the grocer. 
(continued on page 25) 
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