The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1894-12-18
WHY STRAWBERRY GROWERS
MUST USE POTASH MANURES
FREELY.
Value of Kainit.
Of the Progressive Farmer.
HTrrpnrr NJ n

rience more agreed than as to the great
benefit Of potash on strawberries The
analysis of the strawberry shows that
it contains nearly three times as much
potash as phosphoric acid. Tests made
on many different soils show that the
highest success can only come through
the liberal use of fertilizers rich of pot
ash.
1 have had nearly twenty years ex
perience in strawberry growing. I
have tested many different kinds of
special fertilizers. I have invariably
found the best results to come from a
moderate use of ammonia and phos-
phoric acid and an almost unlimited
use of potash. Where laTg quantities
of any kind of fertilizer are to be used,
the greater part should be, of course,
well mixed with the soil before the crop
is planted
Six hundred pounds dissolved bone,
which is quicker in it's action than
bone dust; 300 pounds nitrate of soda;
600 pounds of kainit and 400 pounds of
muriate of potash never fail to make
fine berries and plenty of them. These
should be well mixed with the soil just
before the plants are set in the spring;
one fourth as top dressing over the
plants the following November or
March. Applied this way it is so
thoroughly distributed through the
s0il that not even the smallest rootltt
lacks its supply of nourishment.
Acid phosphate will answer in place
of dissolved bone; 500 pounds cotton
seed meal will perhaps be better than
nitrate of soda for the first application.
l recommend the use Of some muriate
of potash and less kainit so as to avoid
the presence of any over quantity of
salt in the soil.
But the use of some kainit is Of very
great Importance. 1t has one most
beneficial effect which is not yet gen
era ? known. Where literally used
! II ~, IsuYe preventor of the white grub,
whose destructiveness renders straw
berry culture on some soils almost i'm
possible. Nor will the dreaded cut
worm put in his ravages on soil where
it is used. In the spring of 1893, the
great cutworm year, when whole
fields after repeated paintings were re-
duced to half stand, found that
where kainit had been literally used
they did little or no harm. The salt
and potash of kainit combined destroys
them. These two pests, as is we'll
known, are the terror of the trawberry
grower, for they can in few days de
stroy the finest plants on the best land
In fact, it is usually the best land that
they most infest.
Kainit being conservative of moist
ure, also has to some extent a beneficial
effect in lessening the disastrous eff9ct
of drought in the critical ripening
season.
In a word am after full experience
convinced that the liberal usa of pot
ash manures is the sine qua non, the
absolute necessity, of a successful
strawberry growing. Thousands of
acres in the older fruit regions Of the
north which are described as ''berried
out" and on which berries are no
longer successfully grown could better
be described as ''Potashed out"
Many crops of berries all needing
and appropriating large quantities of
potash have been taken from this soil.
Small or at least wholly insufficient
quantities of potash have been re-
turned to this soil. The inevitable
result is that this crop fails there
simply for the lack of it's most essen,
tial element of food potash. With
liberal and intelligent use of potash
manures the soil can be restored and
made to produce finer berries than
ever.
I know whereof I speak on this
point. I have lots, which excepting
one year, have been in Strawberries
continuously for ten years. They pro-
duce finer crops of berries than they
did at first. But have fertilized them
with unstinting hand as directed
above. Not that would advise against
a rotation of crops. These lots would
doubtless be still better could I with
equal manuring have put them in peas
every third year. simply give them
as an example of what potash can and
will do not only in making fine crops
of berries, but also in keeping the soil
on which it is rightly used up to a
high standard of excellence.
The beneficial effects of potash as a
preventor of disease in plants, which