The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1870-03-11
Kew 10 Raise Strawberries.

This Is NOS anew subject to our OIL
der subscrit re, bat to our new friends
it will be setul. and the subject il
not untisnely, because new plantation.
may be made either in spring or in
August and Septemper. -,
In choosing soils for Strawberries,
avoid such as are wet, either. on the
surface or underneath. Sandy land
does not yield as good plants or ber-
ries as clay loan. The question OF
manuring is somewhat disputed, but
we hold that some enriching of the
soil is beneficial. II gives us strong
plants and large berries, and keeps
them in bearing longer than If they
were half starved for food. And yet
deep and thorough culture is hardly
less important.
If it be for garden culture, lay of
the ground in beds four feet wide.
Then draw line lengthwise of the
bed, and set out thesplants by the side
of 1t, eighteen inches apart. Make
three such rows on each bed. The
plants should be last years runners.
In setting out, cut of all but,two ber-
ries (; spread out the roots as much as
possible, and do not cover the crown
of the plants with dirt, for this would
be sure to kill. 1t is the practice of
some to have at hand a pail of thin
mud. into which they dip tic roots of
each plant before setting it i'm its place.
This retains moisture long time, and
us quite sure to carry the plants safely
through the trying process Of trans
planting. Others depend on occa-
sional watering if the season be dry.
During the summer the beds should
be mulched with straw or lawn now
ings; the runners should be clipped,
and the weeds be perseveringly kept
down. On these few things hangs the
success of the plantation. Some per-
SONS. recommend mulching with tan
bark Or sawdust; but having tried
bO:h, we have discarded them, be-
cause they bring in g-ubs and make
the soil cold and wet, and uncongen-
ial to future crops of vegetables. In
winter the beds should be covered
with forest leaves, ora thin layer of
corn-staiks, the first being held to the
ground bya little bi ush being thrown
over them, In the spring, remove
the covering and dress the soil with a
little wood ashes. AS soon as the
vines have done Towering, lay nice
clean straw between the rows, both as
a mulch and to keep the fruit clean.
Keep the runners down the second
year also, and fair crop may be ex-
pected again; after this the bed had
better be broken. up. go
For field culture the management is
essentially the same. The ground is
to be lightly manfred. and It Is to be
worked with pillow and harrow. The
plants are set out I'm rows three feet
apart, which will allow of horse cul-
tivatiOn. The runners are suffered to
spread during the summer, but the
weeds are kept down by cultivator
and hoe. The second year a .l:rse
crop may be counted on, say from
seventy-fvc to one hundred bushels
per acre: On account of the labor of
wedding the plantation, it is found
cheaper to break ii up after one years
fruiting and begin new one.
AS to the best sorts for planting,
judgments will honestly differ.
But we had our best success with
the Wilson, RusselPs Prolific and
Downer's Prolific. There are other
sorts also of great excellence.-South-
crn Farmer.