Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-07-28
Hints to Amateur Strawberry Grow
erS,

STRAWBERRIES succeed best in rather
cool, moist soil and climate, and where
these conditions are not natural they may
be, in great part, initiated by artificial
means. For instance, in the Southern
States, where long droughts and steady
high temperature prevail for several
months during every summer, the soil
may be kept cool and moist by pulveriz-
ing deeply, and then covering the surface
with some coarse kind of vegetable mat
ter, usually termed ''mulching." Irriga-
tion may also be practiced with benefit
in fact, to insure a good yield of large
fruit, artificial application of water is nee
essary in some of the more porous soil of
both the Northern and Southern States
Wherever irrigation can be secured with
out too great expense, it should be pro-
vided in case of drOughts during the time
the fruit is ripening, if at no other season.
But deep, rich soil, and the application
of mulch" will usually insure fair
crop in almost any part of the country,
except on the plains or in California.
Curious ideas are disseminated in regard
to prOpagating and selecting plants. For
instance, one of our subscribers in Ala
bama writes that his neighbors tell him
that the young plants produced on the
off; and to multiply the stock it is neces-
sary to dig up and divide the old stools or
parent plants. Now, all this is
sheer nonsense, and exactly the re-
verse of the truth, and of the
practice of our best and most
scientific strawberry culturists. The one
year-old plants are the only ones worth
using in increasing or making new planta-
tiOns. With what are termed the " Bush
Alpine Strawberries" which produce no
runners, the old stools must be divided in
order to increase the stock but in no 9th
er variety is this mode of propagation
practiced. Wehave also seen repeatedly
stated that the first plant formed on a
strawberry runner is superior to those
which follow, and that the former alone
should be preserved. This is another fall
lacy, which doubtless originated in the
brain of an ignorant theorist. The only
possible difference which can be soundly
claimed between the first and last plant
produced on a strawberry runner is in
their age or vigor at the time of selection.
The first plant near the old stool will Of
course be few hours or days older than
the next and consequently it will have
just that much start; but should the second,
third or fourth happen TO strike root
lntO DeLter SOIL Ilhn the uIslt lcW udyS
only will be required to have them out
strip il in size and vigor Neither has any
man ever been able to show, by ever so
carefully conducted experiments, that the
last plant formed on runner is any less
productive than the first. OF course, the
natural tendency of continually selecting
the weakest would be deterioration, but Il
is not 10 be expected that man would
seek such Dlants if better could be oh.
tanned.
AS the runners while young derive their
sustenance from the parent plant or stool,
il is plain that their early removal would
be benefit, provided the desire is to pro,
duce extra large berries. This is the usual
practice in producing "show fruit" OF
the largest varieties, but it is too expensive
TO be practiced on a large scale, or for mar
ket purposes Still, II man desires u
produce the largest sort, he may adopt an
intermediate system between allowing al
tho runners 10 grow unchecked, or remov
ing all ~ soon as they appear, This Il