The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-05-16
Nores on Strawberries.

ANY good corn or potato land will do for
s,rawberries-in Fact, any soil between the
extremes Of clay and sand can be made to
produce them prof1tably. But loamy soil
naturally rich and inclined to be moist, but
perfectly well drained, will usually give the
best results. There is considerable differ
euce in varieties in respect TO adaptability
to different soils. Some will do well in clay
or stiff soils, where others would utterly
fail. -.....
The best time for establishing a straw
berry plantation is in the fall from August
to October, the earlier they are put out in
the fall the more berries they will produce
the following April or May. Ordinarily
this first crop from fall planting does not
amount to much compared to what it will
be the second season. There are some va
rieties, however, that produce very fair
crop the following May from August or
September planting-if properly trans
planted on suitable soil and cultivated
promptly up to Nov. l and then mulched
until the severe weather is over.
The best fertilizer, or. at any rate, as
good as any, is mixture OF ground bone
and hardwood ashes, half and half, 900
pounds per acre or pro rata. Half Of this
should be lightly narrowed in broadcast
Just before setting out. and the other half
applied afterward as a top dressing about
the plants to be worked in by cultivation.
On soil fairly good to start with no other
fertilizer will likely be needed. If, how
evar tha plaD re Indicate that tho aOiI 10 10 oh
ing in nitrogen a top dressing of nitrate of
soda may be given as soon as the plants re-
new their growth after cold weather is
over. This must be used judiciously, how
ever, for an overdose will do more harm
than good-just as the case with the use Of
common salt (which is chloride of Soda,
where a small and proper quantity would do
good larger quantity would kill. A heap
ing teaspoonful spread thinly about each
plant to a distance of twelve or fourteen
inches in every direction will have very
prompt effect in promoting a luxurianG
foliage. Do not use nitrate of soda, how
ever, unless it is clearly indicated that addi-
tlonal nitrogen is needed. The ground bone
II pure is quite rich in nitrogen itself, but
II yields 1t up more gradually than the soda
nltrate-too slow at times to give the plant
what is needed at first, and especially where
much dry weather prevails, which is
usually the case in the fall and frequently so
IN the spring-about the blooming and fruit
ing season of the strawberry. Ground
bone is a very safe fertilizer. and its good
te1ects are bound to show before very long. If
hardwood ashes are not to be had kainit
may be made TO take their place, but it
also is a material that requires to be ap-
pied with Judgment. 1t is quite easy to
apply 1t to the injury of the plant. The
hshes are much to be preferred. A great
many persons decry the practice of mulch
ing straw berries, but we cannot see how
ttaey could have reached the conclusion that
u was not advantageous. A long observa-
uon and considerable experience war
rants our hearty Endorsement Of the prac-
s'ce, aud especially where the plants are
Kept IN hills. After the beds have been al.
!o"ed to become matted mulching of course
Is not so essential.
The kinds most generally planted in the
Soutn Atlantic states are the Albany,
crescent, Sharpless and Cumberland, but
o1uer varieties of later introduction are
gradually being adopted.
The Haverland and Bubach No. 5 and
growers.
A. mere are few more productive varieties
than the Crescent
some kinds that are good for home use
wv Nv. not good for shipping long distances.
muere one has not been able to test many
ttalleties for himself he should adopt such
an ttnas as he knows have given satisfaction in
rs rs locality. The Crescent, it must be re-
c ttIsnOered, is a pistillate variety, and some
J.; Gs1er perfect kind must be planted with it
a. order to fertilize it. This is lost sight of
r oti11luently, and hence such varieties do not
e'ce the results that they should.
~ our most productive strawberries are of
81 pStlllate class. The Albany and the
az pless are perfect, and consequently
preferred by many growers.
ria.! catalogues show many hundred va
ii9tles-or named sorts-and it is quito puz-
kirss 70 the novice just starting out what
tbno. % Kinds to choose. We repeat. choose
in T 1se. mat you know have given satisfaction
your own locality.
,ue Albany has been favorite. and con-
II !. 70 De SO, in every state in the union.
- among Strawberries what the Early
e r"os Is among potatoes. While the Jealous
SsceaHei VIII make some experiments
to1s saiiiy limited, the experimental sta
1Bd +s WIN be relied on to prove and pass
protDi aent upon all new varieties Of