The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-03-07
STRAWBERRY CROP
TO BREAK RECORDS
Reports to State University Show
a Greatly Increased Acreage
in All Sections.
OLD BEDS IN CONDITION.
Southwest Missouri, With Its
Hundred-Acre Fields, and st.
Louis County, With Its Good
Market, Will Excel.

REPUBLIC SPECIAL
Columbia, Mo, March 6.-With an in
| creased acreage in every county in the
State and every prospect for a good yield
M~issouri's crop of strawberries this year
will break all previous records.
Reports received In Columbia by the
officers of the Agricultural Department
OF Missouri University show that not only
are the old strawberry beds In excellent
condition. but In all parts OF the State the
beds nave been enlarged and new beds put
out last spring will yield their first crop
this year. The total yield will probably
far exceed the yield Of last year, and NAV
double IL.
Quite an interest In strawberry growing
has been manifest among the farmers and
truck gardeners Of the State, and many
have taken up this profitable occupation.
Large areas were planted last year, and
preparations are now being made for a
larger acreage to be put put this spring.
These new plants will not bear this year.
Speaking of the unusual interest taken
In strawberry growing. W. L Howard of
the horticultural department Of Missouri
University predicted that Missouri would
lead in strawberry growing in a few years.
- sSSh oS tAS Ohd DldiitS u OIu tIlOuSH
to bear.
sal, l1Thf ero xhoIe e aoE Southwest sss Missouri
acres each. There are a few berries grown
in Southeast Missouri also, and in that
section OF the State preparations are max
ing for a still larger acreage. In many
of the counties large tracts are being set
out In strawberries, and ia a few years
the yield from that section of the State
will be very large. D%oniphan, in Ripley
nNNnfv ELL 0nnr hA a 1Aa1f~ f-,GN -
ter. Many strawberry beds are being pu;
out there. Around Poplar Bluff there are
many snal growers, while LutesviIla has
for several years been prominent in the
production Of stra wberries. However, he
whole yield from Southeast Missouri now
VIII not equal that of one of the south
western counties, Greene County, for ca
ample.
SEASON LASTS THIRTY DAYS.
The strawberry season in Missouri
lasts about thirty days, and the first Of
the Missouri-growr berries will be placed
on the market about May %. The later
varieties will follow, and by June 20 the
fruit will be out o: season, so far as ,he
missouri grower Is concerned. OF course,
g few berries are sold after tina date, but
rev OF them are grown in Missouri.
In st. Louis County Strawberries are
crown more successfully and with larger
profit than in any other county in the
state. This Is because of the fact tina
10y 49, AhoA dI L III nj TcW
er Is put to no expense for shipping and
Grating. A larger number are grown in
mis- county--in fact. almost enough to
supply the city OF ST. Louis.
7 was. talking with a market gardener
from Bfidgeton, a suburb of st. Louis,
the other day, and he told me his lowest
neI proflt on an acre Of strawberries was
ss0. and he sometimes made as much as
an acre on the years yield. When
we remember that the season Is but
twenty days long. and that the beds re-
season, this appears to be al enormously
experience has proven that
except where grown for local trade,
straWDerries cannot be proftabIy grown,
except In large quantities, and Shipped in
carload lots. When shipped by express.
me express companies get all the profits.
sold on the cars by the W Agents
OF fruit houses remain in the berry region
during the fruiting season and purchase
the berries AFTER the cars are loaded. In
this way the grower Is relieved of the
trouble OF shipping and does not have to
run the risk of damage during transpor-
tauon: In Southeast Missouri. the prod
uct OF no county Is large enough to war
hipping In such quantities, and the
growers labor under some difficulties until
the Increased acreage makes shipping in
large quantities practicable.
NEEDS PECULIAR SOIL.
"A limestone clay soil with a red clay
"a eioNei subSoii 10 oest Tor strawberries.
The plants should be put out in the spring
and the first crop will be borne a year
later. There are hundreds of varieties of
his delicious berry. Perhaps the best one
Tor commercial purposes is a new berry, |
the Aroma 1t Is of good average size
Is quite productive. 1t is of course.
to plant several varieties to-
The Excelsior is is one of the
and 1t should accompany the
others. 1t Is seldom advisable to grow
arge fancy berries, unless the grower has
special local trade that is willing to paw |
prices. a.--
Missouri berries are now invading the
Eastern markets. and several cars were
shipped last year to Boston. The Worlds
Fair this year will make a good home |
for all products of this kind. but it
3 probable that an increased number will
De shipped East. Several years Missouri
berries have found a ready market in |
Omaha. ST. Paul. Chicago. Denver and
Buffalo,"