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1 Junx, 1898.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 461 
PLANTING. 
This should be commenced in February, and can be continued right 
through the month of March for the varieties that produce the early straw- 
berries, but for the later kinds the planting season can be extended until 
about the first week in May. For working with the horse the rows should 
be from 32 inches to 36 inches apart, and the plants from 14 inches to 16 
inches in the row. But when all hand iabour is used the distance between 
the rows may be lessened, but it is not advisable to put the plants closer in the 
rows. ‘Try and do the planting when the weather is showery ; then the plants 
will not require any watering. Jf the weather is dry, only plant in the 
evening when the sun is low, and water all; one pint of water will be sufficient 
for each plant. As soon as the water has soaked away, break the surface that’ 
is wet around the plant to stop evaporation. If the weather continues dry, 
water every second day for the first week, then one good watering weekly until 
the plant is rooted. When lifting the plants try and have a ball of earth 
adhering to the roots, which will help thé rooting considerably. Also take 
care that the plants when lifted are not exposed to the sun and wind. A good 
plan is to keep them covered with a wet bag until they are planted out. In 
planting do not plant too deep, and take care to spread the roots well out. 
Let the plant just show the crown peeping above ground. In about four to 
six weeks after planting, the plants will begin to throw out runners. These 
must be kept pulled off as they appear, otherwise the plant will be weakened, 
and will not bear such a heavy crop of berries. 
PICKING AND PACKING. 
As soon as the berries begin to change colour (which will be about the 
end of July and beginning of August, according to situation) they should be 
picked, as they ripen very fast as the sun’s heat increases. ‘They are usually 
picked into plates or small flat trays, then carried to the packing-shed, where 
they are packed into shallow trays or boxes of pine (generally split in the 
vicinity). It is best to grade the berries according to size and quality, making 
three grades—viz., A1, first, and second quality. For carrying safely, the berries 
should be packed only one tier deep, and the trays should not hold more than 
four or five quarts each. Women make much better packers than men; their 
fingers being much lighter, they are not so liable to damage the fruit. After 
the first three or four weeks, if the berries are plentiful, it is as well to leave 
off making the second-quality grade, as the price obtained for this grade will 
scarcely pay for the extra work in packing them. They can then be put into 
the jam cask with the small berries, all the nibs being first taken off. 
At present there is a steady sale at the Brisbane jam factories for all the 
jam strawberries that can be produced. 
VARIETIES. d 
Of all the varieties that have been tried on the North Coast the 
“Marguerite” comes out a long way ahead of the other kinds, but to do its 
best it requires high land. “ Pink’s Prolific’? is a splendid late strawberry, 
and does well on the low rich scrub lands, being quite free from the leaf 
fungus. ‘‘ Captain” is a strawberry of great promise, but has not been grown 
long enough to establish its merits. “Arthur” is a splendid strawberry, a 
second edition of the “Marguerite,” being quite as large, rather better 
coloured, and much firmer, but the Queensland sun is too much for it, as it dies 
right out. The following varieties have been tried with very poor success :— 
Edith Christy, Trollope’s Victoria, Red Chilian, Myatt’s Surprise, Bidwell, Lee’s 
Prolific, King of the Earlies, Pioneer, and Countess. ; a 
Growing strawberries on the North Coast is not a pastime, this crop 
requiring more labour and attention than any other, the grower’s time being 
taken up during the whole of the year—z.c., if he grows a large patch of, say, 
three or four acres. In a district where the rainfall is heavy the weed growth 
is tremendous, and the strawberry will not stand choking with weeds or any 
neglect. 
