The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1868-05-01
s,,o,~eerv Culture.

..oo 10 plant strawberries Is un.
,s..s,w In The spring, say April or May.
a an r,s,a in August. and II the month Is vet
~, MsSS poaI do pretty well and bear some the
a.,, wear. Bat In general the loss Of plants
set out at that season Is 80 great As to be dis
eouragipg. II there 10 no distance to move
them, that - u the roots can be taken up en-
tire With . ball Of the earth upon them. they
will be likely to live. As to cultivation, deep,
rich, sandy loan il on the whole the best,
though q light sand or heavy clay may be
brought into condition with reasonable ex
perse. But deep soil d requisite, whatever
the kind may be. II must b very deeply and
carefully ?lowed, or else thoroughly trenched.
Thorough preparation Of the soil Is the very
blowing cannot be too carefully done. The sit
nation OF the bed should be open aud airy, 50
that the blossoms may be less Liable TO injury
by late spring frosts. A southern exposure Is
OF course preferable for IN early crop, and
northern one for late crop, For manures,
the strawberry Is not very particular as to the
Mind, II IL has plenty OF L. The more album
dsnt the application Of manure the greater the
proHt. Old and well rotted barnyard manure
Il no doubt the best for this plant. oil things
considered. Ashes are good for strawberries
ON sandy soils Apply on the surface at the
rate Of ten to twenty bushels per acre, They
may be compostsd with muck or leaf mold from
the woods, but never mixed with barnyard
manure. In planting, always use common
garden trowel and make . hole large enough to
admit the roots without crowding. Set the
plants deep enough to have all the roots GOV.
cred. and no deeper. II the crown Is buried II
Is apt to rot. Mix 10 handful OF very hne
compost with the soil around the plant at the
time OF setting, and select cloudy day for the
work. The usuallwsy Is to plant the rows from
two and half to three feet deer. and about two
foot apart In rows. Hoe them early 10 the sea-
son, or until the runners cover the ground. and
amer this no great attention will be required till
the next spring. This is the old and still too
common method Of half cultivating strswber-
rie.. The biennial system ID that OF planting
In beds OF two or three rows In each, with the
plants foot aud half apart in the row. and
Hoe aud weed carefully, AMI let the runners
grow until the entire bed Is full. Let the beds
yield two crops. and then pillow under the plants
and devote the land to something else for one
or two years, when Il may 20 70 Strawberries
again, IL desired. Sometimes the first crop Is
best, but GENERALLY the second, and II will be
found much less trouble to plant new one
than to clean the weeds out OF nm old one. The
annual system Is probably the best; As tn.
weeds have no chance TO get . foothold. Set
the plants In rows two feet apart and q foot
apart In the row. Cultivate very carefully the
first season, take crop the second and then
plow them under. The soil must be rs rich rs
Il Is possible 10 make It. In order to ensure q
splendid crop. The planting may be done in
August or early In spring. and u must be in the
most careful manner. In fact, the whole Guilt
walton of the strawberry, though simple
enough. 30 simple that every farmer might
have liberal supply Of this delicious fruit ev.
cry day In Its season as we'll as not, requires care
anil clean management. like any other crop
where the largest yield and the highest profit
are expected Mass. Plowman.