The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1904-01-07
The Strawberry Crop.

wnlcn L set more letters VI Inquiry
than the strawberry The great eXten-
sion of the culture of the strawberry
along the South Atlantic coast and the
general proftableness of the crop mas
Lied to the planting of wide areas.
Strawberries are rarely profitable on
high and dry soil. Moisture in the soil
seems to be Of more Importance than
even the amount Of plant food it may
contain, and moist soil can be more
heavily fertilized than dry one. be-
food contained in the application.
Hence in the South the culture has
centred in those sections where the soil
is naturally black and filed with hu-
mus, and the permanent water table
is not far down in the land. Few real
ize how deep strawberry root will
permeate in a mellow subSoil in search
of moisture. Having the proper soil,
and such soil abounds in the coast
country from Maryland and south
ward, the grower can afford to treat it
literally. Size, firmness and snowy
color are what he is after, and the fer
tilization Of the soil has great deal
to do with these. An excess Of nitro
gen will produce a rank growth and
aaaSn berries, but is apt to result in
es,tes too soft for shipment, hence
Il ,ot care must be taken in the COM
f,ndins # fertilizer for the straw
Ey. Asa preparation for the plant
OF therop there is nothing supe-
to IVY growth of cowpeas dur
tthsffhmer. In order to get this
hSy.pwth and the fiXation of or
gastrogen before the planting it
wiz we'll to use some mineral fer
! on the pea crop. Four hun
yd>e pounds per acre Of acid phosphate
and muriate Of potash mixed in proper
tion of five parts Of the first to one Of
the last named will give heavy crop
of peas. In ordinary farming we con-
slider it a matter of economy to NOW
the peas for hay and feed them to
stock. But as preparatory crop to a
fine growth of strawberries it pays to
be a little more lavish with the peas
and let them die on the land and then
turn them under in preparing the land
for the berry crop. The best time to
set the plants after the peas is in No
vember or December. The soil is then
moist and droughts are over and they
get the advantage of the buried peas
which could not be had earlier. Planted
at this time we cannot Of course ex-
pect much in the way Of crop the first
spring. In fact it would be better If
all the blossoms be taken Off and the
plants not allowed to fruit at all In
planting I make burrows four feet
apart, and in these burrows scatter 500
pounds per acre Of the following mix
ture. Acid phosphate. 1000 pounds;
dried blood or fish scrap, 100 pounds;
muriate Of potash, 800 pounds. Two
furrows are Tapped over these. making
sharp ridges. These are rolled down
nearly fat, and the plants are set
fifteen inches apart on the fattened
ridges. In the spring add 500 pounds
more of the following: Acid phosphate,
300 pounds; dried blood or fish scrap,
600 pounds; nitrateof soda, 100 pounds,
and muriate Of potash, 400 pounds. A
similar dressing is given in the fall,
land s>ring the season Of cultivation
'fhe rInners are treated in along the
rows to make matted row the follow
ing spring when they bear their heav-
lest crop. During the winter plenty
Sf pine leaves are gathered, and in the
early spring these are placed between
the rows for the double purpose Of
keeping the fruit clean and having
them at hand to pull over the plants in
case frost threatens when they are in
bloom. In the South Atlantic coast no
winter mulching is necessary. In fact
it would be harmful by delaying the
starting of the plants. Some growers
would use the nitrate Of soda more
heavily in the spring, but have found
yAtkat while it makes larger berries it is
ept to make them soft. After the field
has made one heavy crop it is best to
plow it down after the fruit is of and
plant in other crops, in the meantime
having another plantation coming on.
In fact the planting every year is the
only way to keep up the production Of
= the finest fruit to the top notch, and
the planting Of new plantation is
cheaper than to attempt to keep an old
7 field clean Of grass. Some growers set
the plants in August and September
and grow them strongly so as to get a
fair crop the following season. But
this necessitates heavier fertilization
and does away with the getting Of the
pea crop to help out. l prefer TO use
the peas and to plant in December
w. F. Massey, Editor Of Practical
Farmer.