The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-05-06
Field Culture of Strawberries.


From the Anna Farmer and Fruit Grower.
DR.. II. E. Mckay, Of Mississippi,
whose sensible talk on the merits of
varieties OF strawberries we published
sometime since, discusses the question
of field management IN the following
fashion. HIS method comedies in the
main with that followed among US by
many, and has advantages where
things will work just as they should.
Of course our planting season is de-
termined by our different ATTITUDES,
but the system Of culture may be
about the same here and give better
results for the cost than a longer peri
cd of stirring the soil
"For field culture and market pur-
poses, we greatly prefer planting in
rows, with ample space between for
liberal use of plow and sub-soiler-
our distance being usually from three
TO three and q half feet-the latter
distance being preferred.
Having selected good. medium,
clean old land, if practicable, sloping
to the south or southeast, we plow
thoroughly and deeply, throwing into
beds about four inches above the gen
eral level, running rows in such direc-
ton as to give good drainage; then
with a snail harrow smooth Oft the
tops of the beds and set the plants
II or fourteen inches apart in the
center of these beds. For this lati-
tude we do mot like either solid or
what is termed bed culture, even in
the garden for home use, unless the
land is very limited, as it is much
more difficult to preserve the stand,
more expensive and the berries not
so fine to the end Of the season. To
make berries cheap and at the
SAME time fine they must be planted
so that the plow and su5-soiler can be
freely used. The planting season in
this latitude extcnds from the first IF
October to the last of March, when
ever the land can be found in COOL |
order, but for safety we prefer Octo. |
Der and November for early liberal |
rains and the plants near by, we can
plant as early as September and as
late as April. All of the paintings
in this latitude will make some ber-
ries the following season-the earlier
the more, the later the less; but none
of them anything near a full crop, |
and the berries growing close to the
ground are both sappy and trashy
and are not valuable for shipping,
but will do well enough for home or
the other local markets.
BY the 10Th or goth of May, all of
these new settings should he plowed
and hoed, and at the earliest time
practicable, thoroughly sub -soiled.
Culture with the plow and hoe
should coatinue until the first to the
middle of July, when the crab grass
should be allowed to coRie up and |
grow fol covering in winter and to
give protection to the berry from the
dirt and sand during the fruiting sea-
son.
Plants we'll cared for until the mid
die Of July generally have sufficient
size and strength to resist damage or
overthrow from the grass likely to
grow after this time; and the crab
grass not being very deep rOoter, or
its growth of root or top
longer than the early frosts, does not
interfere with the continu-
ed growth of the steOls, even should
their growth be temporarily checked
by the growing grass; as soon as its
growing season is ended, the stools
and plants will renew their growth
under the protecting influence Of this
grass against the approaching winter,
and hastened by its warming influ-
ence IN early spring.
Thus, by skilIfully utilizing one of
the great natural productions of the
land and season, we bridge over two
to two and a half months work and
make the temporarily disturbing nat
ur;,l production the restorer Of its own
leaving it in the right
place till the right time to receive its
greatest beneft-the protection
of the berry from sand and
dirt during the maturing and picking
season. This subject, well under
stood, and practically and skillfully
managed, constitutes one Of the strong
points in successful strawberry cuI-
.ure in this latitude"