The Glenwood post., 1908-03-28
strawberry CULTURE
Planting and Thinning.

The horticultural department
Of the Colorado Agricultural co.
lege has recently received mary
calls for information concerning
the growing of Strawberries,
which it is hoped may be met
with the following account:
This is one of the few fruits
which can be grown successfully
in practically all except the unir-
rigated portion of the state, i. c.,
the matter of altitude does not
prevent the culture of the fruit
at least for home consumption.
for they can develop their fruit
in very short season and the en-
tire plant is easily protected in
the winter. However, the direc-
tions here given apply only to al
titudes below 1000 feet and will
must be modified for higher alti-
tudes. This, however, is merely
a matter of common sense.
Where one has the opportunity
TO choose, and the willingness to
wait, he can better select his con-
ditions two seasons before setting
the bed The program then would
be to plant a leguminous crop.
preferably an annual, as field
peas. cow peas. etc. This he
should plow under in the fall. and
during the following season grow
upon the land any cultivated crop
which does not produce fruit. e.
e.. potatoes, beets, fodder, corn
(in rows), etc. In this way the
excess of nitrogen stored up by
the legumes may be reduced and
the fiber becomes better incorpo-
rated in the soil in the form of
humus Also the manure can well
he introduced for this crop. As a
variation from this plan an old
alfalfa field may be chosen to
precede the cultivated crop. but
the difficulty of killing out this
plant even by thorough cultiva-
tion is well known.
Ordinarily the grower will wish
to set his plants at once upon
such land as is available. although
he is likely to have better success
by following the above prepare
tory plan. The question he will
ask is, What is the ideal location,
and how far may one depart
from such an ideals The stereo-
typed answer is rich, sandy loan,
but not too sandy, with rather
heavier subsoil, and very moder-
,ate eastern or southern slope.
Fortunately, however, the straw
berry is rather cosmopolitan, and
varieties may be found which will
give fair returns even in heavy
soil. Generally, however, such
soils are to be avoided. Sandy
soils produce earlier at the ex-
pense of productiveness. A too
open subsoil means lack of wa
ter-holding capacity; nevertheless
the other extreme must be avoid
ed-that is, free water must not
stand in the subsoil If this
tendency exists, drainage must be
provided.
During the fall or winter ma
nure should be applied as heavily
as fifteen to twenty tons per acre.
This should be spread as evenly as
possibly, preferably with ma
nure spreader. The question of
commercial fertilizers is a negli-
gible one in this state. There is
no doubt but that the yield is
somewhat increased, but it is ex-
tremely doubtful whether the in
crease in yield will pay the actu-
al cost of the fertilizer, f. o. b.
the farm, plus the cost of its ap-
plication. 1t is further extremely
doubtful whether the same result
may not be secured by culturaI
methods and a careful use of ma
)nure.
4 The manure above mentioned
Should be plowed in and its tho
ough incorporation secured pref
erably by cross plowing> Fol
lowing this should come a strenu-
Gus narrowing. The soil can
scarcely be put in too fine tilth,
and to this end the finishing
touches may well be given with a
"planker" or leveler of some de-
scription.
The plants should be set as
early az nossihle after water be-