Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1885-10-24
STRAWBERRY CULTURE.


Foremost among the choicest fruits |
Of our favored state is the strawberry, |
and perhaps if vote were to be taken
on the question, it would be given the
first place On the list for delicious
flavor, exquisite aroma and great beau
ty. So many and various are the modes
of culture practiced in different Sec
tions, that can give only those that
seem to me to meet the requirements of
the general grower of small fruit.
LOCATION.
In choosing the site for the straw
berry bed, the grower must be guided
by circumstances. If grown for mar
ket, bed on southeast slope, planted
with early varieties, and bed ON a
north or northwest slope for late
sorts will prolong the season for at least
ten days, and will also enable him to
pick his fruit to better advantage.
Should the bed be planted for home
use only, the warmest situation in the
garden should be chosen, as the straw
berry is among the first fruits to come
in, and the appetite is whetted from the
long winters daily regimen of bread
and meat, and the earlier the fruit
comes the more acceptable it will be.
SOIL.
The best soil for strawberries is
rich sandy loan for most varieties, al
though some sorts do best on clay
loan, such as is generally called, "white
oak land" 1t should be well manured
and plowed deep in the fall so that the
planting will not be delayed in the
spring on account of waiting for the
land to dry. The soil will be much
more mellow, and is easier worked
which is a great consideration in plant
ing strawberries, for the finer the soil
is the more chance the small fbrOus
roots have to draw their first life.
TIME TO PLANT.
As soon as few of the first weeds
begin to grow, indicating growing
condition of the soil, SOW salt broad
cast at the rate of barrel to the acre,
and harrow the ground both ways.
The salt has beneficial effect in at
tracing moisture during dry weather,
and also prevents the white grub from
multiplying and eating the roots of the
plants. About q week after sowing
the salt or sooner, if it comes light
rain to dissolve the salt in the soil, is
the time to plant. For field culture the
rows should be at least FIVE or six feet
apart, and the plants set about two feet
apart in the row for most varieties.
Some sorts like the "COl. Cheney"
"Prouty," "Sucker State," sGreen
Prolific" &C., that do not send out
many runners the first year, may be
planted much closer, but for the varie-
ties in general use five or six feet is
best, for then the plants do not mat too
close in the rows. For general pur-
poses the
MATTED ROW SYSTEM
is the best either for garden or field
culture. am aware that the hill sys-
tenn has many friends, but most grow
ers object to the continual labor of cut
ting Off the runners. Keep the ground
clean and loose by frequently passing
between the rows with a cultivatOr
with inch and quarter teeth or SHOW
els, then stir the soil deep and throw
very little earth on the plants. The
Planet, Jr., cultivator and horseshoe
is about the best implement for cult
waiting strawberris that l know Of.
When the plants begin to send out rum
ners turn them along the rows, so as to
fill up any blanks, then let them alone
as they will set the young plants to
better advantage if allowed to grow
out than if trained in the row, for, to
secure large, we'll ripened fruit, the
plants should not be allowed to cr0,Od
each other. The hoeing and hand
wedding necessary to be done the first
year often discourages the beginner, but
if we would have good crops it mus,
be done, and it well done the first year
the labor will be light job the second
season. When the rows are matted the
weeds have no chance.
MANURING.
The question of using stable manure
or commercial fertilizers is one that
perplexes the small fruit grower
Stable manure contains so many weed
seeds or seeds of timothy or clover, thai
} to use it adds to the labor of cultivat.
ing the crop, while the cost of ground
bone, guano or other commercial fer
tilizers is 80 great that most growers
|
bought they should not be used exclus
lively, as they do not have the mechan-
ical effect of loosening the soil by de-
composition as is the case with stable
, manure. If the ground has been wei
manured before planting it will not bt
necessary to put on any more till the
ground freezes, when enough rOtteC
manure may be scattered on the mat.
,, ted rows to just barely hide the leaves
. Liquid manure made by teaching heI
manure ,guano or rotted stable manure
is one of the very best fertilizers, and
, it may be put on at any time during
the summer except when the fruit is OF
the plants. 1t does not contain weeC
seed, and its effect is at once seen, be
ing III form readily taken up by tht
! plants. The scrapings of a lot where
cattle or sheep have been fed during
winter are good to put on in Decem
ber, or when the ground is hard enough
to bear a wagon.
MULCHING.
If the rows are well set the mulch O.
!, old straw, slough grass, &c, should b.
l scattered very thluly on the rows an(
heavily between them. Let the plants
. come up through the mulch, for if re
e moved the frost will injure the newl!
grown, tender leaves OF the fruit crown
The heavy mulch between the row
. will keep down weeds and prevent tn,
soil from drying out too fast and the
pickers will not tramp it so hard
VARIETIES TO PLANT.
: There are so many really good sort
of strawberries that il is difficult to sa,