Decorah-posten., 1898-07-01
&C ), 100 6. a oIvnR
Preparing New strawberry Beds.

With the coming of spring,
comes the preparation OF new
nlots of strawberries, such as dig
ping and trimming, when not pur-
Chased. and setting them in the
prepared beds.
There arc so many simple de-
tails connected with the work,
that many are inclined to slight
some OF them, TO the detriment OF
the plants. One of the most i'm
portant ones is the preparation OF
the soil. ] never yet saw a piece
of land too well fitted, but have
seen a great many which were very
poorly prepared. My first lasting
impression OF this work was when
asmall lad. ! had to mandrake my
fathers beds several times over
before he ever set a plant, and the
thorouChness OF this work was one
of nv parents hobbies, if such 1t
NAV be called. for used to wonder
WHY | had to work over the soil 50
many times when il seemed as
though another time over was only
time lost.
The success which always at
tended nv parents labor was
amply rewarded for ! cannot re-
member he ever had a failure in
starting his beds
WITH our improved machinery,
it is not necessary that we do so
much hand-labor now, but in the
absence OF such ! would surly re
sort 10 il.
When ] first started in the fruit
business, ! only had a light spike
tooth drag and plow. ! made me
a plank-drag, or some call it a
float, and used it in connection
with the harrow; by this process
| WINS able to secure a finely pull
verized surface in which to set my
plants.
If one Uses his own plants for
setting. he should be sure they are
only one year old, and were
not taken from beds which had
previously borne fruit, for when
ever a plant natures its seed a
portion of its vitality is gone with
it, much to the detriment of the
young plants.
! always plant a few lows sep
arate for propagating purposes;
these plants are eve allowed to
mature seed, and SO by careful
culture, ! am able to maintain a
high standard of plants, which !
would not get if | allowed the
other plants to bear.
The method of setting is quite
important, and a great number of
valuable plants are lost, either
through carelessness or ignorance,
1t is as fatal to set too deep as
too shallow, for the new leaves
must have a chance to push out to
the sunlight that they may breathe
for the plant, as they are the lungs,
being the organs through which
one of the most valuable elements
of the plant is obtained.
If set too shallow the roots are
apt to be exposed SO that the
moisture which they should con
vey from the soil to the plant, is
evaporated into the air and death
soon follows.
After a bed has been success
fully set, to keep the plants grow
ing continually throughout the
season, is no small matter. The
same fine soil should be maintain
ed by using . fine tooth cultivator
and a garden rake.
| cultivate my beds once or
twice thoroughly, as it may be
necessary, and then pass along the
rows with a garden rake, and work
the soil level and fine as when first
set. This is no great job, as some
may suspect, as | can go over
an acre a day,
This process is continued
throughout the season, or until
new runners get too numerous to
use the rake, then we use a narrow
blade hoe.
1t will greatly lessen this work,
If the soil on which the plants are
set, has grown n or two cult
waited crops the previous season.
Many think that a rich soil is the
best, but to my mind it is the
worst, for it is full of foul seed and
the larva of many pests which are
ruinous to the plants.
b. A. WooD, MICH.