The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1877-10-24
Strawberries.
MODE a. CULTURE. &c.
ie Editor Of the AIorristown Gazette

reach of all, no matter whether they
rent small lot in the crowded city, or
own broad acres in the country. Multi
tudes of your readers would welcome
upon their tables the delicious berries
in their season, and if they only knew
how easily they could be raised, would
certainly cultivate them. -
How any one can eat this delightful
fruit and doubt the goodness of the
Creator, = how any family, either in
town or country, will allow so much
space, so many privileges to tank weeds
where this luscious berry would delight
in growing, is a mystery to me; let
your readers once know how easily they
can supply their tables with the large
red beauties, and | know they will give
them the best, richest and sunniest nook
in their gardens.
There is no great mystery connected
with raising them, as many suppose. 1t
only requires little practical knowl
edge and personal attention Do not
leave it to the hired man; he would
rather raise cabbage, OF. sorgum. They
will thrive where ever weed will, and
the larger the weed, the larger berry
will the ground produce. e-
Two hundred plants properly cultivat-
ed will supply large family, and allow
many dishes for the Pastors wife, sick
neighbOr, or kind friend. Thorough
preparation of the soil is the price of
success. A bed 16x25 feet will hold two
hundred plants. Thoroughly enrich it
spread on we'll rotted manure to the
depth of four inches, then trench or
fork this into the depth of IS inches,
| thoroughly mixing and pulverizing the
soil. If the soil is sandy, use COW ma
nure, if clay, use wei rotted horse
manure. Old decomposed leaves, or
| black woods soil makes an excellent
! bed. Remember rich, deep soil, max es
| large berries In my garden this spring,
picket berries that measured over five
| inches in circumference, from plants set
| out the previous fall. Next spring am
confident they will yield berries seven
inches in circumference. Mr.. E. P.
Roe, the gentleman from whom l pur-
chased my Monarchs of the West, raised
them on his grounds that measured
seven inches in circumference. The
soil in East Tennessee can be made as
rich as any soil along the Hudson, and
we can, with the same management,
come up to Dir. Roe. Either spring or
fall will do for planting them out.
rather prefer fall planting for this eli
mate
Having prepared your bed as above,
order by mail, from some good and reli-
| able nurseryman, 200 Monarchs of the
West, Seth Boyden, or Great Ameri-
cans; three of the largest and best ber-
ries yet introduced. AS soon as they
arrive, open the package, spread out the
roots to the air, and place them in damp
sand or soil until you can set them out.
Take time; place them one foot apart in
rows, and let the rows be two feet apart.
In setting them out, make the hole full
large, so that you can draw up the earth
in the center in the shape of an inverted
teacup, spread the roots around this lit
tie mound, fill in the soil, pressing it
firmly around the plant, and you have it
in its original position, be careful to
press the soil firmly around each plant.
As freezing weather comes on place
evergreen brush over the bed for pro-
lection; in early spring, before they send
out shoots, remove the covering OF
cedars, or old straw; fork up between
81 n rou,c I,ainfr c,raf,1I not IN diSturh
their roots, spread mulch Of cut straw
or old grass over the bed and let them
grow up through it. This serves to keep
down weeds, holds moisture and pre-
vents the berries being splattered with
mud. Many berries and many weeds
cannot be produced in one bed. Keep
out the weeds by hand, If any should
appear before the berry ripens, as there
is danger of disturbing their roots with
a hoe. --.s.
After fruiting, they will endeavor to
propagate by sending out runners, and
! ii allowed, will exhaust the plants more
! or less, and reduce the size of the berry
the next year. u. #1..--
Arm one of the children with pair
| of scissors, and let him go over the bed
once or twice week, and clip the rum
ners If more plants are desired let the
runners on the outside row remain.
About the first of September the mulch
will be quite rotten, and the rank weeds
pushing through. Now fork it under
and weed the rows thoroughly. As the
ground begins to freeze. give winter
protection as before.
This treatment can be kept up for
three or four years. AS soon as plants
begin to fail, make new bed some
where else, it will not do to run them
ten or fifteen years in one place, as some
of our farmers do their corn. Straw
berries love variety, or rather the soil
does. The Monarch and Boyden suit
our soil and climate. The Great Ameri-
can is a new variety, and is said to be
the largest yet produced, the berries
measuring 8 inches in circumference.
placed few plants out this month
and will give them fair trial and report
to your readers. -
The judgement of the lower court in