The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-11-16
A STRAWBERRY BED ON 4 BARREL

from Port Huron, Mich.
--e-zE-e-
A STRAWBERRY BED ON 4 BARREL
Rural New Yorker: The idea of
growing strawberries on a barrel, is,
probably, a novelty TO MOTT people; yet
the plan IS being quite extensively in
PRODUCED in our village, by Mr.. e. O..
Hall, who is an expert gardener, and
nurseryman. Having experimental for
several years in the different methods
! of growing strawberries, L became in
! tere5ted in Mr.. Halls plan. | obtained
an interview With him, and he gave
me a full description vf his barrel
method in detail which is as follows:
| The barrels for this purpose are made
Of hard wood and strongly bound with
iron. LinSeed oil barrels are preferred
! The outside of the barrel may be laid
off in four-irch squares. Commencing
about two inches from the b0tton
| inch holes are bored n the centers Of
| the squares, four inches apart. Five
rows of holes are bored around the
barrel, eight inches apart, or in each
alternate square. The second row of
holes from the bottom is bored on the
perpendicular lines and so on, ater-
nately, to the top of the barrel; in this
way, holes are bored for 130 plants
Ordinary bedded plants are used, OF
any variety desired, mixing the per-
| feet ard imperfect varieties as n gar
| den culture.
The barrel is filled with soil to the
level of the first row of holes, putting
| in rich garden SOL with lt1tle we'll
lCttted manure thoroughly mixed with
it, The plants are next inserted through
the holes with the roots a little higher
than the stems, to allow fcr settling.
The roots are we'll spread apart, and
more soil is put i'm, and firmly packed
over them. A little water is spTinkled
on them, and the process continued
! until the barrel is filled, when Il is
covered TO prevent the escape of mols-
ture.
In watering the plants. care should
be taken not to keep them too wet.
The better way is to make several
holes down through ehe barrel with a
stick, and pour in wafer or liquid ma
nure according TO the needs Of the
plants, giving them mere during the
time of fruiting. The advantages of
the barrel method Of growing straw
berries are thai no runners grow, and
the whole strength of THE plant is di-
reoted toward growing fruit. The Der
rieS are perfectly clean. all cu.tiVa-
ton and wedding are dispensed with,
and there is a great ecCnCsny OF space
If the plants were spread out as in
garden culture, they would occupy
nearly one square rcd of land. The
plants may be put in. either in the
spring or fall. If they are put in dur
ing Augusl. CIR September, they VIII
yield nearly a full crop the next year,
and viii continue to bear for four. or
five years without renewal. Five
bushels are the maximum yield, and
three or four the average. depending
on the variety and negemenE.
A good exposure to the sun is de-
sirable, although they VIII do very web
in partial shade. 1t is advised t1l'2s the
foliage of the pants be occasionally
/ sprinl1led, and in the wirrer, q. Night
covering of straw thrown over the bar
rel Mr. Hall has been working at this
business for eight years, and has set
up over 200 barrels, and, as far as he
knows, his work has been a success.
The most of them We're for city peo-
pie. a large number in The city of
Brooklyn.
This plan Of growing strawberries
seems 20 be Wei adapted to people
living in villages and cities, who have
no gardens, ard makes it possible for
any one TO grow his own strawberries,
who has space of three feet on which
to set a barrel. When the plants are
hides the barrel, and when in full
bloom, presents the appearance Of a
| huge bouquet, and makes a very pretty
ornament for the lawn.
People who have experience in grow
ing house plants, know that a large
plant can be grown in a. small quantity
of sCll If the soil be weighed or ANA
! lyzed before and AFTER growing the
plant, IL will be found that only a
small quantity has been absorbed,
probably less than 10 per cent. From
tfns liz WI be understood how a bar
rel will hold sufficient soil for SO many
plants. and how they will grow in the
same soil fer four or five years. The
water which is absorbed through Tine
roofs, and the oaTbCzac acid in the at
mosphere which is abs-r'oed through
the leaves are, by far, the greater part
of the plant fcSd required fer their
growth. The commercial grower VIII
wish to know whether there is any
profit in growing strawberries in chis
way fer market. l believe that a few
persons are making the trial. but as
yet, / have no report from Them. But
any one can make a trial OF ", and
learn It's advantages. If the plan
should prove a success on a large scale
probably something cheaper and more
convenient could be devised than bar
rels, and many Improvements be
evolved from this idea.
w II. JENKINS
THO80UGHBRED FOR FARMERS.
If farmers will only keep thorough
breds, one or two breeds, according to
the demands of their market trade,
they will be able each year to advertise
the best of their stock for breeding
purposes. There is generally a ready
sale for strong, farm raised pure breds,
and the farmer can thus cater to a
trade that will callSn him no extra