The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-10-26
HORTICULTURE
STRAWBERRY CULTURE FOR &C.
FOBER--PLANTING.

OCGOOSE IS Ehbu0E bh CH "OA
strawberry culture proper. Although
It paws to stir the soil shaliowly after
every packing rain till freezing weather,
few continue it as late as October. Still
no truce must be given weeds and grass
to mature seed and make toll for the
coming year.
IL not done earlier, it will also pay
to chop in around the plants 200 to 300
pounds of the fertilizer, formula for
which will be given a little further on
i'm this article.
Except in the fRrthest North, October
is usually the time for fall planting. A
September set plant is better, provided
rain follows and puts it at once to
growing. But nothing is as damaging
to a strawberry plant as to be checked
by drought soon after it is put into the
ground. 1t is slow to recover from a
check of this kind, especially in autumn,
And September is all too apt to give it
Just such a check.
In October, even If the soil is not
more moist, it is cooler, and the sur is
weak; just the conditions that the
strawberry loves. Plants set then are
not apt to wilt, even without rain.
October set plants undoubtedly bloom
and bear earlier and larger berries than
those set earlier. They are often a
week earlier than berries on plants set
in the spring or summer before.
If the plants are vigorous and the
soil rich and well prepared a fair crop
of exceedingly fine berries will be the
result the following spring. In the far
south fall-set plants bear their main
crop the following spring. Then the
plants start the summer large and
stOcky, and will make a better growth
and bear a heavier crop the next spring
than If they had been planted only the
spring before instead of the fall preced
ing that spring.
More care should be taken with fall
set plants, so they may get all the
growth possible before cold weather
comes. Well started, they continue
their growth all through the winter
wherever the temperature in the sun
goes much above freezing. Wheat
grows at a temperature at or above As
degrees. Strawberries, doubtless, grow
with about the same warmth.
If the roots of the plants are very
long, trim them back to about four
inches. Let the hole in which they
r set be large enough to spread the
roots as near fan shape as possible
Press fine, moist dirt firmly about the
roots, letting it cover the roots firmly
up to the bud, but no higher. Nothing
checks growth as much as a bud GOV
cred and choked by earth Prepare
the soil for plonting as follows:
PloW the land as early and deeply as
possible. If a crop of pea vines or other
cultivated green crop has been turned
under, all the better. If such a crop
has been turned under, a top dressing
of agricultural lime 900 to LOCO pounds
per acre. will pay.
Run off the rows three feet apart.
If land is scarce, two and a half feet
will do. Sow in the drill 300 to 500
pounds of cotton seed meal and mix it
thoroughly with the soil by running a
small-tooth cultivator or harrow down
the drill. List on this with one light
furrow from each side. Knock the list
down almost level with a drag or with
hoes, and it is ready to plant. Freshly
listed land ia the best to plant in. More
fertil' z9r can be used now than was
safe earlier IN the fall.
I find that of all fertilizer cotton seed
meal is the safest to use in the drill. It
is less apt to harm a plant when it
comes in contact with it's roots. One
hundred pounds Of sulphate of potash
or 200 pounds Of kainit and 200 pounds
of dissolved bone or acid phosphate per
acre should be applied around the
plants a little later. 1t can be sown
over them during the winter while the
plants are dormant and will then do no
harm. Wood ashes and stable manure
are also excellent for top dressing.
Splendid berries can be made with
them alone.
In Florida and the far South a wet
soil often necesitates q much higher
bed to plant on. The plants there re
naming green and na,tender, grow
ing state all the winter, fertilizer can
not be safely sown on them except just
before a rain. Should it be SO sown
IA the rain fail to come, it should be
busted eff with bro0ms. Never SOW
fertilizer on a plant wet with dew @
rain, winter or summer. It will be
sure to stick and burn.