The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1890-03-27
SIRINBERRIn
N Fi1t IA SGiu Il ArtidnOn SnaIl Fruit
Culture y !. B CuEti.

It b my purpose, In . series Of short ar.
articles, 10 give Instructions, TO beginners,
in growing small fruits for home use.
The subject IL old, but there 10 always an
army Of beginners who are puzzled q "a
what to do and how 10 secure plenty d
fruit for home use.
Small fruits are never % nice a. when
gathered from your own vines and eaten
when fresh. A very small plot Of ground
well cared for, will furnish . supply for
several persons. Under high culture Il
Il not uncommon TO pick . quart Of straw
berries from Q single vine during the sea-
son. This b done under the single hill
system and by heavy fertilization Of the
Soll. II this rate could be maintained u
would give 625 bushels per acre. As .
rule, however, the best growers do not get
more than 900 busbels and even Les.
There are well authenticated reports Of
yields d the rate Of 800 10 400 bushels on
plots Of half an acre.
One Of the iirst things the writer would
do II starting on q new place would be to
Get out Q plantation Of small fruits. They
come into bearing the first year after
planting and furnish . supply Of fresh
wholesome fruit from strawberry time in
May tn blaekbeEries are gone, about AnR-
ust 1, Az for myself i would about ~
soon try TO get along without bread -
without berries. As . preventive Of dis
ease they are almost beyond value. II
all the world used plenty Of fruit and
would let drugs and doctors alone they
would have better health.
OF al the small fruits the strawberry
holds the highest place. Henry Ward
Beecher said doubtless God could have
made . better fruit, but doubtless henever
did" II Is easy Of cultivation-about as
easy and simple q corn or potatoes.
Where there il plenty Of room from three
to three and one-haf feet apart for the
rows and the plants from one foot to
eighteen inches apart In the row. This
gives about 1900 plants per acre. FoE
small gardens, where the ground l. well
enriched, two feet by one is about right.
In this case II b best to keep the runners
cut OF and secure large thrifty plants.
They should be kept growing thrifty
in the fan for the blossom buds are formed
then. In setting the plants use q dibble,
or better still q garden trowel. Spread
the roots out or straighten them. II viii
pay where you wish to secure the very
best results 10 spread the roots out like an
open umbrella. Never st plant with
black roots, for they are the old plants.
Take only those with white roots; they
are the unneFs Of the preceding year.
OF all the strawberries before the plant
ing world none excel the old Wilson. II
has stood the test Of twenty-Hveyears and
b still the iayoEite with many Of the best
growers. Crescent, too, ranks high a .
profitable market berry. There are many
kinds Of undoubted merit that are worth
growing or trying II one has the time and
money to spend on them. So far - I
have triedthem none please me 90 well %
the two I have named. Crescent b pis-
tillate and 50 must have some perfect
towering kind, like the Wilson, planted In
every other row Or every third row. They
are rank growers and In case Of light irosts
the leaves protect the blossoms. They
are the earliest strawberries grown.
Captain Jack 10 . fine berry but has small
leaves and the flower stem b very erect
and are sure TO be caught BY late froSts.
II IL the same with ShaTpless.
Some Of the best new varieties are Jes-
Gle Waraeld, Bubach No. 2, May King,
Parry and Bomba, I have not tried them
myself but they are recommended by the
best growers and horticulturists.
One thing I should have mentioned:
For field cultivation strawberries are not
kept In single hills but are allowed to
form matted rows, the plants between
the rows being destroyed the same O.
weeds BY the pIOw and ~cultivator. Six
inches Is the most approved width for the
plants in the row. N. B. @.