News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1911-02-01

FIG XXXIu-IN THE BLACKBERRY PATCH
drained. in order that it may warm
up quickly in the spring instead Of
remaining Soggy for several weeks and
then baking hard. as undrainpd soils
are so liable 10 do.
Deep Flowing, 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. 1t will then
be easier TO prepare the seed bed, and
the patch will be freer from weeds and
insects Strawberries are particular
in their soil requirements. and Il little
care in preparation will add greatly
to the size of the crop. Too little at
tentiOn is given to this most important
requisite Many persons do not seem
to be aware that the strawberry is at
all particular about the soil in which
it is put. AS a 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
come.
Varieties of Strawberries.
Varieties Of strawberries are divided
into two genera types the perfect and
the imperfect lowered The imperfect
contain only the female organs or pis-
ills, while the perfect sorts contain
both stamens and pistis The imper-
feet varieties can produce no fruit I'M
less fortified with the pollen from the
flower of perfect variety. 1t is very
important that attention be paid to
this point in planning. Many OF the
imperfect sorts possess points of supe-
riority over the perfect varieties. They
can be successfully grown by planting
every tfth row to a perfect lowered
variety. This row will furnish pollen
for the two rows on either side of it.
In setting out a bed in this way care
must be takeu to see that the two VA
rieties come into hloom 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
whcrries always specify whether
they are perfect or Imperfect, a rpli-
able nurseryman can be depended upon
to give you what you ask fer. y 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 Il new plant appears and
takes root Only plants less than al
year old should be selected for plant
ing. The crown shonld not be too
large and the roots thick and long |
The presence of large woody roots |
and a heavy crown indicates that the
plant is an old one. If there are many |
leaves it is well TO pinch off one or /
two of the largest to correspond to
the injury to the root system.
Planting Strawberries.
Spring planting is the most reliable, |
but where the fail is moist or the |
patch can be readily watered fall plant .
ing gives very good results. The two /
important points in planting are
the roots aud packing the
dirt tightly about them The plants
should be 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 of in order to
make a compact, vigorous hill The
'ize and quality of the berries are bet
Ter under the hill system, but the mat