Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-08-02
From the American Agriculturist.

You Must Have Straw berries.
Not an occasional half pint doled out by the
teaspoontul, but plenty of them, great bowl
fuls, and panfuls, once or twice day for a
whole month at least-not little things OF the
size of peas that require so much time to pick
them over but great luscious ones, as large as
hickory nuts and black walnuts, and larger too
not the chance growth of meadows and pas
lures, requiring hours of picking in the hot
sun, and the trampling down of much grass,
but nice plots of fourishiug hills in the best
part of the garden. You must have straw ber-
ries-not alone few of you who dwell in the
old settled portions OF the east where other
fruits abound, but all of you who live away on
the new farms Of the West, where few cultiva-
ted fruits are yet enjoyed, and can not be until
the trees have had time to grow. You must
have them---not dozen years hence, when
you have got your farm paid for, your build
ings completed, and every thing else liked up,
You must have good taste OF them neXi
!. year md EieneeiOrR an you CsffI edJ. IIsJ
are good for the salth. They are good for
tha temner AZ any body ever rise from
,a.l taniIas5r1f with straw berries, or straw
bar. ~ I'D cream, and feel like scoldlng
= lEy are the cheapest luxury the farm or gar
den affords, and thebeSt. Good Strawberries can
b. oro,On for GA cents a bushet 4 cent pint
But saws more than one, "we can't afford
ted varieties cost money. Not much a doz'
en- or two plants OF good kinds will cost but
few cents-not more than one or two cents
each-and thanks to the last congress, the
hostage is now so low on plants and seeds,
that those who can not obtain strawberry
piapts near home, can order them by mail
from the other side of the continent. Ii well
nut up in oiled silk, or in light wooden or tin
cases. strawberry plants can go from here to
Oregon in the mail bags, flor cents per ounce
or l cent if under 800 miles, and ii sent in
the cool month OF September, they will gener
ally 90 safely. Ii subject to much heat on the
passage, they may sometimes iall' put the
chances are so greatly in favor OF their success
that II is worth the experiment. Order them
only OF reliable persons, who will take proper
care in putting them up well. Dealers will
generally pack two dozen plants OF any such
good kinds as are now abundant, and send them
postpaid anywhere Tor dollar, or even less
if under 500 miles, and these will multiply to
hundreds the next ear.
1t is now nearly time to look cut for sup.
ply of plants. When not to be carried far, it
will do to begin 10 put out plants any tiHe
after the middle OF August, or before III the
new runners have become well established.
The sooner they can be got 10 growing this
veal. the larger and better viii be the supply
of fruit next season. IT to 90 far, especially il
by mail, it is best to Et for the cool weather
of September, orI9een the first OF October, be-
: ifijfe IA king the plants. We have obtained
trui. tile following season from plants set out
as late as November, but SO late planting is not
advisable. .y
Cuhirate Strawberries in HiuS-Every sue
cessive wears experience and observation, CON
yjnces us that when grown for fruit, it is, as a
rule, better to put out strawberry plants in
hills, Is to 20 inches apart, and pinch on the
runners Ii multiplication is desired, let the
runners set, but take up the plants as fast as
well rooted, and put them out In hills. They
can then be kept hoed almost as easily as corr
and they will produce better fruit and more o
it than If allowed to run IN tangled mass o.
thick mat.
Soil and Observation-Disclosures will grow
on any soil but like every other plant, they
will pay for manure, and flourish best on
moderately good loan On good, rich soil
little manure is needed but on poor soil ap
ply and dig in deeply fair coating OF wei
rotted manure. For clay soil, nothing i
better than to tighten it up with rotten manur
and a large supply OF black earth (leaf mould
from the woods, or of decayed chips from tn
wood pile. If the soil be subject to standing
water il should be drained This may b
done by throwing it into high beds, or cutting
deem paths between the beds or rows, with al
outlet to carry off surplus water. suppl
of water below eighteen inches in depth,
rather favorable to the plants.
But too many specifications will intimidat
the inexperienced reader, and though Tor extr
crops of extra berries, deep, thoroughly pre-
pared soil is essential, we now desire to simpl
impress the fact that with very tritiing outla
of time and trouble, every garden may be SUI
piled with good bed OF this most excelieI
fruit. They are grown about as easily {
corn. We repeat = Good Strawberries can
readily grovn for sirtyJour cents bushet, (o'
cent a pint Z
Winter Protection.-In localities where ii
soil is subject to much freezing and ihawin
tbs desirable to throw over the plots, at Il
beginning of winter, coat of loose straw
leaves-not enough to smother the plants,
to prevent their being frozen, but merely
keep them from frequent alternate freezii
and thawing Leaves are not so good as stra
as the former mat down and smother the plan
more. AS good plan as any, if not the be-
is to spread loose straw all over the plants,
November or December, and in spring simp
move the covering from the tops of the plar
and let it lie ON the ground around the
where it will smother weeds keep the groui
moist, prevent the soiing of the fruit by raj
dashing up the earth, and by its gradual dec
furnish manure.
What Kinds to Pldnt-There are two hu
dred or more named varieties Of straw berri
all OF which are readily distinguished by sol
peculiarly OF form. color, shape OF leaf a