The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-11-16
Strawberries in Lower Texas.


Each passing year emphasizes the fac.
more strongly that Galveston county is a
natural strawberry district, says Il. N.
Strlngrellow in american Garden. And
yet. strange to say, there is but one variety
entirely suited to our conditions. The
Parker Earl, for instance, that grows so
rankly and bears SO abundantly in North
Ie1as' Is mere pigmy here. have plants
years old, in the richest soil, that are no
larger than a saucer, with mass of dininu-
tive little berries, while along side, the Nu-
nan OF the same age have immense
stools eighteen inches in diameter, and
loaded with the finest fruit. This is the
strawberry 'par excellence for this region.
Nearly all the standard varieties have been
tested aud discarded. The famous MichePs
EARLY, while quite prolific and q good
grower. is 80 soft that it cannot be shipped
except to the nearest markets. Both the
hoffman and Cloud did moderately well,
but none can compare with the Nunan in
point of vigor, productiveness or carrying
qualities
We began this year to ship the last of
February, and many growers sold from
$500 to 5000 per acre, and the season is not
much more than half gone.
The crop has been very generally dis
tributed over Texas, while some have gone
as far as Denver and Kansas City in good
order. Many OF our growers have adopted
the plan or shipping G. o. ID. to the dealers
instead OF to commission merchants. and
with excellent results. Up to the present
time, the net price has been So per "A quart
crate. Inc plan of shipping direct TO the
dealers has had the effect of stimulating the
growers to the greatest care in picking.
sorting and packing as they well know that
Inferior Iruit will certainly tell on them.
NOW, as to the methods of culture, our
growers are coming generally to the con-
cluslon that 1t don't pay to carry plants
through the summer, especially on rich
ground.
Our season is SO long. and grass grows so
lost, that 1t requires more labor to keep one
acre clean hero than five at the north. Be-
sides, strange to say, the 2-year-old plants
are much later in fruiting in the spring. aud
the berries much smaller than those on the
fall set plants. This is probably owing to
the immense stools the old plants make.
which put out in spring such a mass OF
blooms that the plants seem unable to bring
the berries to large size.
Another disadvantage of the 2-year plants
on rich ground is, growth is so strong that
leaves, which makes the berries pale and
soft.
To ship well and be bright and glossy.
they must have plenty Of sunshine. The
plants set in September and October make
less vine, but more large, firm berries. This
difference between the two ages of plants
has been October fruited freely for nearly
month before the older plants had any
berries worth picking.
AT the end OF the season they did well.
though, of course, at lower prices; vet the
tail end oe the crop rarely fails to net or
III cents per quart Many large growers re-
served small bed for plants of which the
Nunan Is exceedingly prolific after June,
and plowed under the old beds to reset. As
this plan requires but little cultivation after
the plants are set, the 4-foot bed with three
rows and plauts one foot apart each way is
about the best and most economical. as to
manures, there is nothing better than COW
manure. if plenty of it can be had. II not,
then bone meal or good superphosphate
will give excellent results. Cotton seed
meal is 50 stimulating that am aim IS IN
WINGED that on fairly good ground 1t had
better be discarded altogether A bed
MANFRED last fall with bone meal alone. at
the rate of one ton to the acre, has made me
magnificent berries. Our soil is naturally
very poor. aud requires heavy manuring
for several years toget the best results. On
new land, one part cotton seed meal to two
parts bone meal, or dissolved bone, would be
an excellent application. We are troubled
here very little with insect or fungus The
cut worm in fall and early winter is the
most annoying, but a weak mixture Of
Paris green and water, a teaspoonful TO two
gallons of water IS good proportion,
sprayed over the vines will kill them if ap-
piled regularly and thoroughly.