Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1858-08-20
How to Raise Strawberries.

Every one possessed Of very small
patch of ground may have an abundance
of this delicious and wholesome fruit by
pursuing the following directions
1st. Lay out bed six feet wide, and
as long as desired, or, if the form of the
ground requires it, make two or more
beds of convenient length, but no more
than six feet wide.
ID. Spread unleeched ashes over your
bed to the depth Of about one inch, over
the ashes a very thin coat Of fine salt,
and over this, if the soil be rather poor,
a coat two or three inches thick, of thor
oughly decayed leaf mould from the
woods or rich swamp muck.
Sd. Spade the ground as deeply as
possible, thoroughly pulverising the soil
and mixing the top dressing with it, then
level with the rake, and your ground Is
ready to receive the plants.
4th. Mark the rows by drawing a
straight line exactly through the middle
of the bed, leOgthwise, and lines parallel
to this on either side at the distance of
two feet from it. If you have but
small piece of ground the rows may be
six inches nearer, but they had better be
two feet apart.
9th. From the Goth of August to the
10Th Of September (the earlier the bet
ter between those dates) or early in the
spring, if ii cannot be done in the sum
mer, procure as many plants of good
variety as will be required to fill your
rows. Wet the plant thoroughly, then
take them up carefully with as many
roots as possible, and ball of dirt around
them. Set them two feet apart in the
rows you have marked, leaving one foot
for a border at each end. Put around
each plant green rowen, saw dust or tan
bark, one inch in depth, and if the wealth
er be dry, water after sunset, as often as
appears to be necessary.
Just before the ground freezes in au-
Ilumn, cover the whole with straw, using
such as Is free from seeds Of any kind.
9th. In the fore part of the following
month of May remove the covering, and
as soon as the plants begin to grow Wig
orously, spread Zone inch thick, all over
the bed, tan bark, saw dust, green grass
straw or leaves, making the coat very
thin Immediately around the crown Of
the plant. Tan bark is much the best
mulch, but the others will 10, the object
of using it being to keep the ground
Fmoist and free from weeds, and the fruit
clean.
7th. From this time until the plants
have done bearing keep them free from
runners and weeds, without hoeing Oh
otherwise disturbing the roots, and every
evening when it has not rained during
the day, give each plant a showerins
with cold, clear spring or lgeU acater, ap
plying about one common pail full to mint
or ten plants, with a sprinkler" Il
, this manner, if your soil be neither to,
poor nor too rich, you may have, from ;
: few plants, for several weeks in the sum
; mer, very large and fine favored berrie
5 enough to supply any common family
< If planted in the summer you will &c
: about a half crop the next season, and
;, full crop for each successive season there
). after for ten OF twelve years. Wbeneve
o the bed needs manuring, spread over it i
= the spring before mulching good coat {
:. rich mould for muck, with a half inch j
IS depth Of ashes, but never use stable ms
c uure, unless you wish to raise large vine
e without fruit. The bed should be alway
ii kept free from runners, except SO man
rt as you may want for your own or yot
IF neighbor's use. After the plants al
g fully started there is no great labor in Il
i, king care Of them, and the crop will pa
Is Those wishing for plants can find
ic nice lot Of them in the garden of NJ
l. N. Cushman, Of this village. He h'
n a thousand or more for sale.
It Vermont Military.