Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1868-04-24
STRAWBERRIES.

Many, who try to grow strawberries
and other SMALL fruits, utterly fail, AM!
therefore become discouraged. Read tEc
following hints from tie Asaericam Fruit
Cultur;s. and succeed:
Ore of tic many errors to which anna
tcur, ard even regular fr:;t. gro::ers a:e
liablc, is the impression, that fruit plants
require little CT no manure. Manu:iEg
may DO carried 10 such an extent, rs to
become positively hartGnl, but this is rare
!y dorc, the mistake generally being in
tic other direction. We have on 4 mum.
Der Of occasions had opportunities CT
witnessing the wresched results of this
'rcnny wise ard pound foolish" economy.
Whatcve: may te sa;d to tie contrary, i:
! is ticmonstr,5!e by tha nicst positive rrcoi
tt,at half starred strawberry Plan! will
u not p.o1uce 4 c,cp 5ooj either in c"',n-
THY or quality. 1t void lie surpassed
that the prac:ica! experience Of Old fruit
growers should have taught item this,
and ye. some Of them Go not appear to
have improved the lesson. We have IN
orr minds eye, a plantation of strawber-
ries, set out last spring upon new and
very poor soil. The plants were not par.
t:cuiarly vigorous ~ the time they were
set in fact some Of them had been kcr
cut OF tho ground so long, that tain
hopes were entertained of their growing
: at all.
The iowner having faith in fertilizers
Immediately procured supply of pigeon
: manure, which vas mixed with Super
Phosphate, and muck fresh from tb
l swamrs, After allowing it TO- lie undis,
turbed for few days, or until it began t.
i, boat; the heap was then spitted down an
= thoroughly turned over. In the coars
of the noxt two or thrco days this opera
D ton vas repeated, and once again shor,l
C after. The compost YVES then ready fa
y application to the newly set plants. j
8 dressing was given to every bill, the con
n post being well mixed with the soil su
o rounding the plants. In less than wee
is the plants assumed and hea!thiul appea
9, ance Those which at Getting out we,
is regarded as about hopeless, began to gro
% .hriflily. The foliage became abunda
'e and Of deep rich green. Three weel
i, after similar dressing, together withpr
,G tper cultivation, was given them, and
o. the close Of the season, it may be safe
= said that finer plantation Of strawbe
# ries, covering in extent nearly two acr
re was not to be found in New Jersey.
a, broad contrast to this, was q plantation
Il. a contiguous farm, soil aud plants nea
10 the same On this latter plantation lit
~ or no manure was applied, the owner tr
oil ting 10 luck. The results at the end
ho season. were, an almost total failure. \
ss, mention these facts, in order TO prom
m. small isuit growers into a more libe
mt spirit Of manuring their cropss-GIts.1'
c. pay as certainly as that day follows mig
he and it may set down as ssuxiooontsoys'
is- BILE axiom. that the most unproata
of all small fruit cultivation is, Z
which ignores. the. liberal use of pro-
lv. manures. "a
an Let those who have been trying
ne, raise strawberries or .other fruits on
pc, starvation principle, make a note Of I
,lic and no longer wonder that they have
/: Z. ed to realize their expectations.