Rocky Ford enterprise., 1897-03-25

Frank Crowley read valuable paper on
the above topic at the late Fafmcrs' Institute.
As 1t ia too long for publication In ono issue
wo give II In instaliments. Noxt week will
conclude tho article.1
STRAWBERRIES.
Spring is abont the best time for plant
ing, but IL properly attended to plants
can be set at any time when good plants
can be obtained, provided that it is not
too late in autumn for the roots to get q
Arm hold in the soil before freezing
weather begins. Not later than the mid
die Of September in this section. 1t is
best to have separate bed for the prop
agation of plants as it ia injurious to the
fruiting beds to be disturbed tn the spring
and only plants one year old or less with
an abundance Of roots are suitable Tor
setting. II planting is done in the spring
IL will be best to wait until the plants
have commenced to gro W, when they can
be handled about like tomatoe or cabbage
plants.
In the plantation the rows should be
az or feet apart and plants set about
10 inches apart in the rows. Where
grown in the orchard We find very con-
venient method is to plow furrow down
the center between the rows and set q
row Of plants on each side of this. This
will keep the plants ut u safe distance
from the trees. After the orchard gets
to be two or three years of age 1t would
not do to have the rows OF small fruits
closer than 6 or feet to the trees, on &C.
count Of the frequent irrigation required
by the plants. The strawberry can bo
grown either in the matted row, half mat
ted row or by the hill system. When
grown in hills all runners must be kept
c,,k 80 o,,I noOl, v,1onk trofa IN ho wary
large and hears heavily, requiring midi
vidual hoeing and attention. In the
matted r Nv, which is the most common
system, the runners nre allowed to take
root on each side and between the hills
until q thick row ia formed about II or
l8 inches wide. The hnlf matted low is
the best system for general use and diff
fers from the full matted row only in the
keeping OF the plants thinned to from 8
to inches apart in this space. All tho
cultivation il done between the limits OF
tho rows. When it 10 desired to renew
tho bed, the runners are allowed to get
over into the cultivated space, md late
in the summer the old row is plowed out,
leaving the new plants to make the crop
the following season. Only two profit
the sumo plants so that the patch must
be renewed every second or third year
But experience has taught US that it will
pay best to set out n now bed each year
and when the oldest bed gets too old for
profit It is turned under and crop OF
farm or garden produce is grown one
season, WHEN it is again ready to be set
to strawberries or other small fruit.
The best method Of setting plants by
irrigation, is to first run the furrows
with single shovel plow. Then with the
rake level off the side Of the furrow to be
planted. The spade is used by many in
setting the plants bnt We have found an
ordinary brick laying trowel to do the
work more rapidly and in better shape
thnn nny other tool. The main points to
spread out in rs near the natural posi-
ton MS possible; to get the plant at the
proper depth, which will BIO with the
crown just on q level with the surface OF
the ground; and to hive the plants set
near enough to the edge Of the furrow to
get well soaked nt each irrigation with
ont being flooded.
Immediately after setting the water
should be turned and in ten days or two
weeks another irrigation will be needed,
aftor which they will require water every
two weeks on most soils, during an ordi-
nary season. The cultivator should fol-
low each irrigation, which will help the
ground to hold moisture and keep the
plants growing. The hoe should be used
frequently to keep the surface loose and
runners to take root readily. The straw
berry requires more moisture then any
other fruit and during the time when the
berries are maturing un extra supply will
DO needed, However, very early in the
spring too much water must not be given
as the ground will be kept cold and
growth retarded making the crop late
and in some cases killing or injuring tho
plants when the weather is very change.
able. But do not draw the conclusion
from this that it will be best to allow the
ground to become dry in spring, on the
contrary it is the most important point
in the life OF the berry patch to keep the
soil in exactly the right condition ms re-
grrds moisture at this particular time.
Mulching late is generally advantage
straw. or threshed cornstalks is good,
which should be raked OF OF the crown
Of the plants when growing weather ap-
proaches but left thinly between the
plnns to prevent evaporation and to pro-
tect the fruit from the sand.
The Leslie wine quart box, packed in
in the "a quart crate is the package that
meets the demand best and is most con-
venient for handling the strawberry crop.
The berries should be very carefully
picked, with half an inch Of stem attached
and neatly placed in the boxes, filling the
corners and placing the top layer with
stem ends down. Even small berries
look very attractive pac,sed in this man
ner. The boxes should be filled as full
rs they can be Grated. Never leave the
berries out in the open air after picking
but as soon rs convenient carry them in
to cool cellar where the atmosphere is
moderately moist. just such place as
is best for storing apples in winter will
be best for keeping the berries while pre-.
pairing them for market.
CONTINUED NEXT WEEK.
Go to the Novelty Social at the
As,a.a Ls,sss,e, mi, i