The Florida agriculturist., 1889-01-09

had, the next best fertilizer, in my opin-
ion, is a mixture of equal parts by weight
of cotton seed meal, bone meal and pot
ash-from 10 to 15 pounds Of the last to
each 100 pounds of the other two. This
mixture should be made and applied to
the land at least five or six weeks before
you wish to set the plants Otherwise
there is great danger that cotton seed
meal will burn the roots of the plants.
There is also difference of opinion as to
the proper quantity of fertilizer that
should be used per acre. But up to the
present time have never seen a straw
berry bed that seemed to be suffering
from too much fertilizer. From one to
two tons per acremay beused proftablY,
provided it is applied to the land long
enough before the plants are set out to
become SO far decayed that there will be
no danger of it's injuring the roots by
heating. In using such large quantities
of fertilizer, it should not be applied sim
ply in the burrows over which the plants
are to be set, nor on the surface along
the rows after setting the plants. 1t
should be spread broadcast over the
whole surface and plowed under If the
ground could then be thoroughly culti-
waited crossways of the burrows before it
is narrowed, the fertilizer would be pretty
evenly mixed through the whole soil If
only commercial fertilizer is used, and
that in moderate quantities, the follow
ing is the best method of applying it:
Open a furrOw where each row is to be set,
scatter the fertilizer in the bottom and
mix thoroughly with the soil Then
cover the furrow and if possible let it
stand two or three weeks before setting
the plants.
Growers are not agreed as to the best dis
tance to leave between the rows of straw
berries. Some set the rows three feet
apart, others leave only two feet between
them. But the majority prefer to set in
double rows one foot apart, and then a
three-fOot space. That is, first set two
rows a foot apart, then leave a space
three feet wide, then two more rows afoot
apart followed by another space of three
feet, then another double row, and thus
alternating across the patch. This plan
has decided advantages over both the
others. Three-foot spaces between every
row allows too much waste land Two
feet is well enough, except that there is
not room enough to walk and pick the
berries. When set in double rows foot
double rows, as many plants can be set
on an acre as when the rows are all just
two feet apart; yet there are wide spaces
between all the double rows in which to
stand and walk in gathering the crop.
The plants are usually set from ten to fif-
teen inches apart in the rows. In setting
the plants two points should be carefully
guarded-irst to protect the roots from
the sun and air while setting, the other to
be sure that the soil is pressed closely and
firmly about the roots. To secure the
first most effectually prefer to have the
plants carefully packed in boxes before
they are taken to the field, and while
there they should be kept carefully COW
cred. A few plants at a time are taken
out and placed in a pan, bucket, or any
thing that will hold them with sufficient
water to keep the roots moist until they
are needed. The most economical meth
cd of doing the work is to have two or
more men setting the plants and a boy to
drop for each two men. The boy must be