The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1912-05-16

FIG XXXIII--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 undrained soils
are 80 liable to do.
Deep plowing 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 he freer from weeds and
insects Strawberries are particular
in their soil requirements, and 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 moi seem
| to be aware that the strawberry is at
all particular about the soil in which
it is put. AS consequence they pre-
pare their beds without an, 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 stra wberrics are divided
INTO two general types-the perfect and
the imperfect f1owered The imperfect
contain only the female organs or pis
ills, while the perfect sorts contain
| hn
feet varieties can produce no fruit un
less fertiliZed with the pollen from the
flower Of perfect variety 1t is very
important that attention he paid t.
this point in planting Many OF the
imperfect sorts possess points OF supe
riority over the perfect varieties The.
can be successfully grown by planting
every fifth row to perfect tlowercl
variety. This row will furnish pollei
for the two rows on either side of it
In setting out a bed in this way carr
must be taken to see that the two Na
rieties come into bloom 1t the SAM
time.
Perfect and imperfect varieties can
not be told apart except when Il
bloom. Then the absence OF the ro7
of pistils around the petals marks th
imperfect sorts Lists Of varieties O
strawberries always specify whethe
they are perfect or imperfect 4 r"li
able nurseryman can be depended upc
to give you what you ask for y lis
of the varieties hest adapted t" YOU
I q
. pertinent station
The strawberry is propagated aimcs
entirely by runners At each joint j
the runner a new plant appears an
takes root. Only plants less tilan
wear old should be selected for plan
ing. The crown should not be t.
large and the roots thick and Ion!
: The presence of large woody root
and a heavy crown indicates that I'll
plant is an old one. If there are man
leaves it is well to pinch off one
two of the largest to correspond
the injury to the root system
:. Planting Strawberries,
Spring planting is the most reliahl
= hut where the fall is moist or t!
patch can be readily watered fall plan
ing gives very good results The tV
important points il planting al
!. spreading the roots and packing Il
d dirt tightly about them The plan
should be set so the crowns are Ju
level with the surface of the ground
Il Hills Versus Matted Rows.
Il Strawberries are grown both in bill
and in rows. In the bill system, t!
plants are set about three feet aDal
% The runners are cut of in order
i make a compact. vigorous hill II
e size and quality of the berries are b
ts ter under the hill system, but the ms