Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1879-09-11

ways small enough.
CULTIVATION OF THE STRAWBERRY.
| The finest way to grow the strawberry,
all things considered, is in hills. The best
time to set the plants is early in the spring
as soon as the ground is dry enough. They
should be planted in rows three ieet apart
and one foot apart in the row. It is very
important that this should be done early,
for if growth commences and young roots
are sent out before the plants are taken up,
they receive a check that must be more or
| less iuj urious.
The best soil for the strawberry is rich.
sandy loan, it succeeds better on loan than
on light sand or stiff clay. The ground
should be well prepared, as for any other
crop, but no poor subsoil should be turned
up, as it is very necessary to have the sur
face rich.
When the plants are taken up, all dead
leaves and runners should be removed, and
the stems shortened to the roots, shortened
to three or four inches. They should then
be put in pail, with water enough to COW
er the roots. By this method the plants
will be prevented from willing. and even if
the soil is not very moist it will adhere to
wet roots, and growth will soon commence.
After planting, all blossoms and runners
should be cut off as fast as they appear, and
the ground should be kept we'll stirred.
This stirring should be kept up till about
the first of September, after which the soil
should not be disturbed to any depth. IF
weeds appear they should be removed by
hand, or care fully shaved off with the hoe.
If the soil needs enriching, apply bonedust
and wood ashes, alone, before the last culti-
vating.
Early in the winter the entire surface
should be covered with straw, to the depth
Of an inch or two, and as soon as growth
commences in the spring it should be re-
moved from directly over the crowns, and
left between the plants to serve as mulch
to keep the ground moist and the fruit clean.
The great want of the strawberry is water,
and any means that can be employed to
keep the soil moist, will greatly increase
the crop. Mulching is generally the best
and cheapest way to gain this object. It IS
sometimes recommended to remove the
mulch in the spring and cultivate between
the rows and then put it back, but believe
that this is always injurious. In the fall, a
new lot of roots is sent out, which occupy
the entire surface for some distance from
the plants, and those snould not be dis
turbed till after the crop is gathered.
When grown in hills it is customary to
take three or four crops from the same
plants. AS soon as they are done bearing
each season the mulch should be removed,
as we'll as all runners and rusty leaves, and
the space between the rows very thorough
ly stirred with the cultivator.
When the strawberry is to be grown in
matted rows, the rows should be four feet
apart, and the plants set from one to four
feet apart in the row, according to the vig-
or of the variety.
All blossoms and runners should be cut
of till July, by which time the plants will
be able to send out several good strong run
ners at time. which may then be allowed
to grow. Nothing is gained by allowing
them to run before they get abundantly
able.
They should be cultivated frequently dur
ing the summer, but the same care should
be exercised not to disturb the roots in the
fall and spring, as when grown in hills.
They should be lightly covered during the
winter.-Mattheso Crawford.
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