The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1910-03-10

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FLO xxxiu-N THE BLACKBERRY PATCH.
drained. In order that II may warm
up quickly In the spring Instead OF
remaining soggy for several weeks aud
then baking hard. ms undrained soils
are so liable TO do.
Deep blowing. with thorough disk
ing and narrowing, Is necessary In or
der TO get the land into the best con
dition Strawberries should follow
some cultivated crop which has been
| Kept free from weeds. II will then
be easier 10 prepare the seed bed. and
the patch will he freer from weeds and
| insects Strawberries are particular
In their soil requirements. and a little
care in preparation will add greatly
| TO the size OF the crop. Too little al
| tention Is given to this most important
requisite Many persons do not seem
to be aware that the stra wberry is al
all particular About the soil IN which
II IL put As Il consequence they pre-
pare their beds without any reference
to this essential factor In the success
of their enterprise and. Of course. are
doomed TO disappointment IN the out
rome
Varieties Of Strawberries.
Varieties Of strawberries are divided
into two general types-the perfect and
the imperfect lowered. The Imperfect
contain only the female organs or pts
ills, while the perfect sorts contain
both stamens and pistils The imper
feet varieties can produce no fruit un.
less fortified with the pollen from the !
flower OF perfect variety. II is very |
important that attention be paid to !
this point In planting. Many OF tho
imperfect sorts possess points Of supe.
riority over the perfect varieties They
can be successfully grown by planting
every fifth row to perfect lowered
variety. This row will furnish pollen
for the two rows on either side OF II.
In setting out bed In this way care
must be taken to see that the tive va
rieties come into bloom at the same
time.
Perfect and imperfect varieties can
not be told apart except when In
bloom, Then the absence OF the row
Of pistils around the petals marks the
imperfect sorts. Lists of varieties OF
wberries always specify whether
they are perfect or imperfect. A reIi-
able nurseryman can be depended upon
to give you what you ask for. list
Of the varieties best adapted to your
locality can be obtained from your ex-
pertinent station.
The strawberry is propagated almost
entirely by runners. At each joint IN
the runner new plant appears and
takes root. only plants less than a
year old should be selected for plant
Ing. The crown should not be too
large and the roots thick and long
The presence of large woody roots
and heavy crown indicates that the
plant IL mn old one. II there are many
leaves II is well TO pinch of one or
two OF the largest to correspond to
the injury 10 the root system
Planting Strawberries.
Spring planting is the most reliable,
but where the fall is moist or the
patch can be rcndiIy watcred fall plant
Ing gives very good results. The two
important points In planting are $
spreading the roots and packing the I
dirt tightly about them The plants /
should he set so the crowns are just /,
level with the surface Of the ground
Hills Versus Matted Rows.
Strawberries are grown both In hills :
and IN rows. In the hill system the
plants are set about three feet apart
The runners are cut on 10 order TO
make compact, vigorous hill The !
Size and quality OF the berries are bet T,
ter under the hin system. but the mat.
led row system gives larger yields. 10
his the plants are set from ten ta
-welve inches apart In rows four fcel y
part. The runners are trimmed ~
make q matted row about two feet q
vide The spaces between the rows !,
hould be kept well cultivated during y
he early part Of the seasM aud the
Weeds pulled IN the rows After the b
econd year the runners eau he allow. v
d 10 Oh these open spaces and the :,
riginai rows plowed ~ In this way !,
be bed can be easily renewed and KEEP.
caring for several years. usually until
be land becomes 80 weedy that II hi
susi be plowed up and put 10 to some I'll
Their crop hs
In cold climates the Strawberries q
inst be given come sort OF winter n.
The object Of this is not no
'nch 20 prevent freezing as 10 keep
Ne ground from that alternate freez "a
u and thawing which cause heaying Al
the plants mulch OF coarse horse vi
anure applied after the ground freezes ".
excellent fw this purpose. as IL adds %,
'rtility at the same time In thu 4.
ring the straw can be raked 10 and
moved oDs necessary precaurirn Is
be sure that the manure IL free as
osn weed seeds | have seen straw. 81.
Try beds ruined because the mulch in,