Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1866-08-17
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THE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
CULTURE.


Though the earliest and one of che finest ot
small fruits, many Of our people, as yet reai-
" do not know how great luxury they miss
in neglecting to cultivate bed of strawber.
ries No fruit is more easily raised nor bet
ter repays cultivation. In the vicinity of al
most ali large towns and cities they are ex-
tensively cultivated aud are a source of inn
nense profit. There is scarcely a village in
the country where one or more persons OF
limited means may not make a nice addition
to their annual income from the cultivation
Of a few square rods Of stragberries for mar
ket. VIII not some one in the vicinity Of
Bedford undertake to supply the market with
this delicious fruit. Now is the time to begin;
beds set out the latter part Of this month and
and the FIRST Of September, if on good soil
and properly cultivated, viii produce fair
crop next season. Tor general culture, either
for home use or Inarket we would RECON-
mend, Wilson's Albany, McAvoy's Superior,
Triumph De Gaud, Scarlet Magnate, Rus
sells Prolific, and Hookers Seeding, as
most likely to give satisfaction. For the
benefit of such as wish to provide for them
selves a bountiful supply OF this luscious fruit
another season land we hope their number
viii be legion) we append the following re-
marks on It's culture from the AmeTjc0a Ag-
rieaJtorist for August, 1861
Yov MUsT HAVE STRAwBERRIEs.-Not al
occasional half pint doled out by the tea
spoonful, but plenty of them, great bowlfuls
and panfuls, once or twice day for whole
month ct 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 end
pastures, requiring hours of picking in the
aot sun, and the trampling down of grass, but
nice plots of fourishing hills in the best part
ofthe garden. You must have strawberries
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 cultivated
fruits are yet enjoyed, and cannot be until the
trees have had time to grow. You must havo
them-not dozen years hence, when you
have got your farm paid for, your buildings
completed, and everything else fixed up. You
must have good taste of them next year,
and thenoeforth all you can eat. They are
good for the health They are good for the
temper; did anybody ever rise from a meal
topped off with strawberries and cream, and
feel like scolding? They are the cheapest
luxury the farm or garden affords, and the
best. Good Strawberries can be grotcH for ga
cents bushel q cent piatO
"But,n says more than one. i'we can t af-
ford it this year; times are hard, and your
cultivated varieties cost money" Not much;
dozen or two plants of good kinds viii cost
but a few cents-not more than one or two
cents each.
1t is now nearly time to look out for sup
ply of plants. When not to be carried far, it
viii do to begin to put out plants any time
after the middle of August, or before, if the
new runners have become we'll established.
The sooner they can be got to growing this
year, the larger and better will be the supply
of fruit next season. If to go far, especially
if by mail, it is best to wait for the cool
weather of September, or even the first Of
October, before taking up the plants. We
have obtained fruit the following season from
plants set as late az November, but SO late
planting is not advisable.
Cultirate Strawberries IN i've HiH.-Ey
ry successive year. S experience and observa-
tion, convinces us that when grown for fruit,
it is, as a rufe, better to put out strawberry
plants in hills, Is to 20 inches apart, and
pinch of the runners. If 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 al
most as easily as corn, and they will produce
better fruit and more of it than if allowed tc
run in tangled mass or thick mat.
Soil and NanesYe. Strawberries viii grow
on any soil; but like every other plant, they
viii pay for manure, and flourish best on .
moderately good loan. On good rich soil
litsle manure is needed; but on poor soil ap
ply and dig in deeply Q fair coating Of vel
rotted manure. For a clay soil, nothing is
better than to tighten it up with rotten man
ure, and large supply Of black earth Qeat
mold from the woods, OF of deeayed chips
from the wood pile. IF the soil be subject te
standing water, it should be drained. This
may be done by throwing it into high beds
or cutting deep paths between the beds OF
rows, with an outlet to carry off surplus wa
ter. A supply of water below is inches il
depth, is rather favorable to the plants.
But too many specifications win intimidate
the inexperienced reader, and though for ex
ira crops of extra berries, deep, thoroughly
prepared soil is essential, we now desire tc
simply impress the fact that with very tri
fling outlay of time and trouble, epe;y garden
may be supplied with good bed of thismos
excellent fruit. They are grown about as
easily as corn.
Wiaater ProtectfGa.-In localities where the
soil is subject to much freezing and thawing
it is desirable to throw over the plots, at tbs
beginning OF winter, a coat OF loose straw OF
leayes-not enough to smother the plants, Oh
10 prevent their being frozen, but merely to
keep them from frequent alternate freezing
and thawing. Leaves are not so good as
straw, as the former mat down and smother
the plants more. As good plan as any, il
not the best, is to spread loose straw all over
the plants, in November or December, and
in Spring simply move the covering from thu
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