St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1885-07-30
.Ebdnf the farm and 6ardrn.
Prepared Tor The Q aled0nian.
Raising Strawberries.
rhe Best Method of Cultivation.

4 traveller journeying through the
& northern portion of Vermont is struck
u it'll the absence of strawberry beds in
tic gardens. and the question why
should this be So ever is in the mind of
a une accustomed to see them III most
& Gardens in other portions of the United
States. Ii the answer is that straw
Berries cannot be raised there, should
a il he entitled to much weight until the
s zfial is made Whether straw berries
"A eAn be grown can only be proven after
an attempt is made. The generally
zreceived opinion is that the culture of
#straw berries is attended with too much
labor and it takes so much land to
|Fsiise "A small quantity. ..
. How much land is required to raise
+anOugh berries for a family3 Is 1870
sqnarts at one picking enough for a
AmiIy and is a plot - by % feet too
- uch land to cultivate properly A
|<esw weeks ago in Connecticut | saw
his amount picked on "A bed of the
ize mentioned, at one picking. The
otaI yield of the bed / should judge
Ould not he far from 200 quarts. Re-
erring to The Caled0nian of July 2nd,
y Ie price of nice strawberries freshly
licked is H. cents quart as sold in st.
Bloomsbury, this would be $50 as the
= held of this bed. For each square
&o0t of ground the amount received is
|&..77 cents, or at the rate of SIb6.GI
IN acre. The total yield would he
bout 352t bushels per acre IL will
Ia said this is over the average yield.
~ Deduct then one third, making it 250
bushels per acre, and this is no more
a ban small plot well taken care OF
Iould yield even in inexperienced
lands, and this is accomplished even
N y the acre where experience is Il part
~ = the culture.
Should any wish to try what can be
lone by them in the culture of straw
>Derries, the first requisite is the selec-
tfpn of suitable soil. The soil should
e roots. this being the natural soil
Ion the strawberry the location such
@ bat water will not stand upon it in
FinteT, yet rather moist naturally for
nanurc, use cow manure well roited,
"a eighteen months old all the better,
b. bed - by - feet, the quantity
d Guild be half ii cord. Soil and ma
#llre being selected then comes the
of the ground. Spread
b. half cord evenly upon the surface,
hich will be covered not far from one
nch in depth. Next pulverize all
humps, spade OF fork the ground, min
Hing soil and manure thoroughly.
bike the suIface after the ground has
ettled few days, say Il week, and it
i'll be in condition to set the plants.
Set plants in rows, two feet between
ows and foot between plants, re-
airing ;}05 plants for the plot. The |
ariety of plants tn he set in such land !
hns prepared makes comparatively !
tile difference 50 far as the growth of
Dliage is concerned. The safe rule !
owever is to consult the nearest |
rOwer of IA bed as tn the kind that
pes the best with him and follow suit |
htil experience is had in selection of
Irieties.
Press the soil firmly around the new
set plants, thus Fastening the start
q ~ Of growth of foliage. After cul-
pre-, use hoe aud rake, not working
be soil over half an inch deep. This
ystem of culture is recommended, as
host of the newer varieties put before
Ie public within the last ten years
lck vigor of foliage, the fruit absorb
~ AS 1t were the foliage this method,
owever, tends to growth of foliage.
ut all the runners starting from the
lants, combining culture to that of a
Single plant in IA place.
As soon as the ground is sufficiently
ozen To bear Il team on the plot,
lulch the entire plot with some suita
lie covering, thickly between the rows,
lants.
Nothing more is needed till spring
hen remove the mulch from the
rOwn of the plants, allowing the
lants room to grow, and pull all weeds
ppearing through the mulch. Never
isturb the soil in the spring before
uiting of the plants.
II The berries grown under this culture
4 III not probably Ice rs early by "A few
ays rs by many other methods, but
be yield Of fruit will be increased and
l,e berries much finer aud larger. In
Ome cases the foliage may prove too
hick this however is much more
asily overcome than the absence of
oliage would Toe.
Plants under this culture can be set
t the present time and indeed as a
ule they do better than earlier set
lants.
For spring set plants, the plants
hould be set two feet between rows
nd three feet between plants in the
0ws and the three feet space in the
pws hned lay runners during the sum
ber.
On light soils or in soils where the
ulture consists of deep working, or in
eavy soils where strawy or light ma
ures are employed, a modified system
bust Ice had. }. Il. RoGERs.