COMMERCIAL FERTILIZER 
Used wisely, commercial fertilizers help materially in berry produc- 
tion. For plant growth in the new patch, fertilizers may be handled in 
two ways — (1) by heavy application, say 1000 pounds or more per 
acre broadcast and worked into the soil before transplanting, (2) by at 
least two side dressings of about 250 pounds per acre each. We rather 
preter the latter method as requiring less fertilizer and giving more im- 
mediate benefit. Any good complete fertilizer, say 3-12-12 is all right. 
We also like an application of some 250 pounds per acre 
right in the rows in early September when the next year's ber- 
ries are beginning to form. 
Spring application of fertilizer of high nitrogen content must be 
relatively light, and should be undertaken extensively only after con- 
siderable experience. Applications that are too heavy may cause a top 
growth too heavy for fruiting. 
PLANT SPACING 
Fruiting rows in commercial fields should be spaced at about four 
feet. In small plantings this distance can be held to three and one-half 
feet. 
The distance apart in the row depends upon the ability of 
the variety used to make runners. We set such kinds as Pre- 
mier, Fairfax and Chesapeake about eighteen inches, varieties 
like Temple, Catskill and Dorsett about two feet, and such free 
running kinds as 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 depends upon 
the variety used. From the above spacing, it will take slightly more 
than 7000 plants for an acre of Premier, Fairfax, Chesapeake or Masto- 
don. 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 cheapest pro- 
duction, but strawberries will not do well in size of fruit or in total mar- 
ketable 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 year's growth leaves them 
closer, the smaller plants should be rigourously thinned out. 
6 
