Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1881-08-11
GROWING THE STRAWBERRY

Inc difference of opinion in regard to the
method of growing, rs well AS to the va
rlety and merit of the strawberry, is re
markable. We suppose it is owing more to
the nature of the soil and the culture. For
instance, the Sharpless, which we are only
about to try for the first time, is already
discarded by some growers; and the Seth
Boyden. which only within year or 80 ago
was so greatly extolled, IS also beginning to
fall behind. In fact, our own experience
with it has not been encouraging, and we
shall cease TO cultivate it. Perhaps ''Cap-
tain Jack"-by some known as the '"rri-
umph OF Cumberland"--is the best, or one
OF the best and most reliable kind Just now
grown. AT least it is the one that we should
prefer to all others we have yet cultivated.
We regret to notice, however, that a va
riety Of what we should call an entirely
worthless character, has been grown this
season as the Captain Jack, which bears no
likeness to it either in stalk Or berry, and
which has given this fine sort a bad name.
No one who has once seen the Captain Jack
will ever mistake it for another. It is a dark.
rank grower, bears abundantly, fruit as
large as the largest, and the quality very
fair As we know whereof we speak. we
can state that this variety was produced by
our good, old friend, Samuel Miller, of
Bluffton, Mo-, formerly of Calmdale Nurs-
cries, near Lebanon, Pa, who presented us
with halt a dozen plants before they were
offered for sale; hence, the plants of this
name obtained from us were the genuine
article. The plant is hardy and stood the
last severe winter perfectly.
La setting out bed OF strawberries-and
they should be found in every private gar
ien-the strong growers, like Captain Jack,
Sharpless, etc, should be set in hills, say
three feet apart each way, and cultivated
between. On the other hand, smaller
weaker plants, like Hovey's Seeding, should
be planted in rows, say from eighteen to
twenty-tour inches apart each way, and al
lowed to run together. Perhaps more fruit
can be obtained in this way, and some grow
ers think larger, as the old vines can be re-
moved, and the young ones always left to
take their place, which cannot be done so
well when in hills. Some growers change
their ground and renew their bed every Sec
ond year, or third year at most. This may
be best with some varieties, but we do not
think SO generally. We have raised first
class crops the fourth and fifth years. Still,
as the trouble of setting out bed is not
great, it may be well to test in u small way,
the results Of two, three, four and five year
beds before renewing.
In preparing bed the soil should be
made very rich with weIl-rotted barnyard
manure, and as friable as possible. The
plants should not be set deeply but firmly,
with the aid of the boot the ground must
not be low, or cold, or liable to retain wa
ter. .u.
1t is advisable TO take up the plants the
latter part of July, and transplant in cauli-
flower frame, or any open frame, in cool
place, kept pretty much in the shade, and
regularly watered. AT the end of August
or the first week in September set out the
plants in the bed where they are to stand,
taking with each plant small ball of earth.
This will give them an excellent start the
present season, and will yield the following
year a full crop of the berries.
The best cover tor the beds in winter is
straw, or very light straw manure, and this
should in no case be SO heavy as to retain
the water, Or the appearance of the plant in
the spring willAot be as satisfactory as we
should desire.-G Germantown Telegraph.
THE CARE OF HOUSE PLANTS.