The daily gazette., 1880-04-08
Garden Culture Of Strawberries.

In a recent issue directions were
given for raising Strawberries Of fair
quality in field, with little expense
for plants and with small amount
of labor, most Of which could be per-
formed by the aid Of the cultivator.
These directions were not intended for
those who desire to raise very choice
berries, and who are willing to be at
considerable expense TO procure plants
of the newer and most approved
varieties, and who are willing to de-
vote a comparatively large amount
of time cultivating the plants with
hand-tools. The finest Strawberries
are generally produced In village gar
dens or in the grounds of amateurs.
They are rarely found in the market,
for the reason that purchasers will not
usually pay for them what it costs to
raise them. The finest strawberries
for the table are also difficult to trans
port long distances, as they are gen.
orally quite tender. y Or
Strawberries for the supply of ones
own table, or for presents to friends,
are generally raised in a garden or on
a plat of ground 80 small that it is
difficult to prepare or cultivate the
soil with horse implements. The
spade is the best tool in use for making
the soil light and for incorporating
manure with it. The ground selected
should be free from shade, and at
some distance from trees and bushes,
whose roots are likely to draw sus-
tenance from the soil. 1t should be
made rich with manure that IL not
heating in its nature. The droppings
of cattle that are free from straw and
that have become we'll rotted are ,.ex-
cellcnt for strawberries. 1t is best to
work considerable portion of the
manure foot below the surface of the
ground with spade, By 80 doing
the roots Of the plants will grow
downward a long distance. Ashes
stimulate the growth of plants, and
cause them to be fruitful.
If there is limited amount of land
for this crop the plants may be set out
foot apart each way. If there is
considerable land the rows may be two
feet apart, the plants standing within
foot of each other in the rows, If
transplanted during or shortly before
or after rain they will commence to
grow Immediately. In a month after
they are set out they will require but
little care. The gronnd must be kept
free of weeds and grass by the use of a
hand hoe and if the weather is dry wa
ter must be applied freely. An occa-
sional application of liquid manure
will greatly stimulate the growth of
the plants. All blossoms and runners
should be nipper off as soon as they
appear. If the plants are allowed TO
fruit or to produce runners they will
make comparatively small growth,
and the object of the first years Guilt
walton should be to produce fine plants
to bear fruit the year after they are set
out. 90 isHrf9r ssu'...' l.rs .loaa
During the month of June or the
early part of July, the ground should
be covered with good mulch. There
is nothing so good for this purpose as
fine, green grass, cut before the seeds
have formed The grass cut from a
lawn is excellent for mulching straw
berry bed. 1t should be applied with
the hand about two inches thick and
worked under the leayse of the plants.
This mulch win prevent the growth of
weeds and grass between the straw
berry plants and serves to keep the
ground moist. Before the soil freezes
in the fall, the ground should be cov-
cred with straw three or four inches
thick and held in place by sticks, laid
between the rows. Early the next
spring this straw should be removed
and the soil loosened by the use of a
fork. AS soon az the berries begin to
form, fine, green grass should be
spread over the ground as before. >
This will form clean mat for the ber-
ries to rest on when they become ripe.
A strawberry bed is in Its best estate
the year after 1t is planted out Ii IL has
been tended properly. The berries Will
not only be numerous but of large size |
and excellent flavor. The crop will be !
very good the second year aud the plants |
will require little attention. 1t will be |
desirable to work some manure into the |
soil with a fork, to keep the ground |
moist and to cover the plants with straw
in the fall. Unless one has propagat-
ing bed for revising plants it will be best |
20 allow q few runners to take root. |
The best plants are raised by sinking |
little pots like those used for starting |
plants in greenhouses, directly under
the joints Of the runners. They should,
of conrse, be filed with fine, rich earth.
Early in the fall the runners connecting
the young plants with the old should be
put off. Plants raised In this manner
do not suffer from the effect of trans
planting, as all the roots can be remov-
ed from the pots. E1
Very good plants may be raised by
allowing few of the strongest runners
to take root in the ground between the
rows, or in the soil on the side of the
bed. If they are TO be rooted in the
bed portion OF the mulch should be re-
moved aud The ground loosened with
trowel. An appli' alton Of liquid ma
nure will do much to increase their
growth. 1t is well to raise and set out
q few plants each year, as, by SO doing, a
portion of the awberry patch will be
in its prime every season. Il is not best
% set new plants in soil where straw
berries have been grown for several
years. They will do better IN soil that
las produced other crops. An old straw
berry bed IS full of hard roots that do
lot readily rot. 1t will produce a good
,rop of potatoes, and is better adapted
o this crop than any other usually rails