The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-03-06
asrifulturul.
The Strawberry.

So high favored, fragrant and beautiful
in appearance. with its productivencss and
ready sale in the market, IL rightly manig-
ed, 10 % easy ofcultivatiou, that no farmer
should neglect to raise enough for the con-
sumption Of his family. know that some
farmers say that we cannot afford to grow
or cut Strawberries or any Of the small fruits,
but that ws must give all our time to tho
potatoes anil corn, and that hog and ho-
miny, with occasionally few whorsleber'
ries when they do not sell for more than
three cents quart in the market, is ali
that farmers can afford to eat. But / be-
lieve that II any portion OF the community
arc entitled u eat fruits ii is thOse that
grow them, and also that tits duty that
every cultivator owes to his family 10 pro-
duce ut least enough for their consump-
tion.
Now as TO the method OF cultivation. l
have tried various modes, single rows, beds
and hills, but werc now intending to grow
them to any extent should adopt the fol-
lowing method: in April or May, having
the land plowed and narrowed fine, work In
manure enough to last two years and pro-
ceed TO plant in rows three feet apart; then
SOW between each row row of turnip-beets
or some other vegetables that the crop could
be gathered in August; keep the ground
free from weed.. allowing the plants to
spread rs much as they please.
The next spring, ~ soon as the land Is
dry enough to work, spade over the ground
one foot wide where the rows Of beets stood,
which will leave the beds Of strawberries
two feet wide, the space Of one foot which
was dug over making the path; then thin
the plants where too thick. About the first
week in June, mulch the paths with fresh
cut grass, when everything is done but gath
ering and marketing the crop. After they
are all gathered, which will be from the 5th
to the 10Th Of July. put on dressing Of
manure, and plow with sod plow; turn
over smoothly, SOW With rutabaga, or corn,
or oats for FODDER. Ny reasons for this
course are the following the first year the
crop Of vegetables between the rows will
pay the expenses. and the strawberries are
easily managed and very certain to leave
the ground well stocked with plants; the
second year you will get full crop wit ,out
much labor and little annoyance from
weeds; you undertake to weed out and
continue the bed another year, you will
have an almost endless job Of wedding in
very busy time of the year, and II you
should 90 to tho trouble, your crop will be
much smaller than the FIRST year. by fol
lowing this plan I think they can be pro-
duccd much cheaper than otherwise.
Now suppose person devotcs four square
rods to strawberries for bis family FROM
that with good cultivation he will get 100
quarts, which is much less than have seen
grown ON the same quantity Of land; how
can he supply his family with anything bet
ter or cheaper
fyou want the profit, compare tho result
with potatoes on the same quantity If land !;
If my theory is right, the first year paying
all expenses, the second year, up to harvest
ing, the cost will be about the same for
each crop; the worth Of the potatoes from
the four rods, say two barrels ut $500, cost
Of harvesting and marketing to Boston
81 2S, leaving balance OF 1915 for the
crop OF potatoes; then the crop Of strawber-
ries, 100 boxes at 2j cents, $500, picking
and marketing, cents box, 81 90; leav-
ing a balance Of sis OO in favor Of the
strawberries, or SlI,15 more profit than the
potatoes. shall not say anything Of the
peach, pear, plum and ounce, regarding
them rather as Of the orchard than the gar
den, and will close by saying that If here,
in Concord. we should give more attention
10 the cultivation Of the small fruits, il
would bc not only a source Of pleasure. but
ofpruht. The saving that we should make
ON the freight Of the small fruits comparcC
With the heavy vegetables would be no small
item #..-... s...