The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-11-07
TRUCKING FOR BEGINNERS


once with damp cloth or old sacS
and keep them in the shade unit;
actually wanted in the field, whenc
they can be carried in the boxes
Lift the plants early in the morn
ing, before the sun gets too high
and again in the evening and i
either the weather or soil is dry
water the bed thoroughly an hOul
or Two before lifting. By fOllowins
these instructions the plants viii
not wilt nor will they barely feel tn.
shock of transplanting to the field
Cultivation The crop should b.
rapidly worked during the growins
time. cultivating along the rows
with the cultivatOrs SO set as t.
turn the earth towards the plants
keep down all weeds and the sur.
face soil open; cultivation should b,
shallow and cease altogether as soon
as the first fruit commences to set
Pruning While this practice i
not as yet universally in use and is
even condemned by some authOri
ties rs being unnecessary, | never
theless strongly advocate it. by it,
use the quality of the fruit is great
ly increased. and in far greater dc
gree than quantity per plant. The
fruit will be more uniform in size
and run almost all to fancy,
which is the grade to aim at for
best prices in the market. Pruning
is very simple. the main require
ment being constant attention.
When the plants have well started
III growth suckers will begin to grow
out from the main stem. Thes"
should be removed except the one
Immediately below the first fruit
stem. When these two branches
have sufficiently developed and the
first four or five hands of fruit have
set. top the plant on both branch
and main stem. and keep removing
al; sucker growth. This system
checks the growth of the plant,
which is thereby enabled to throw
all its strength and nutriment into
the fruit, fastening maturity and en-
HANGING its marketable value.
Stalking Notwithstanding the
extra expense and trouble involved
| strongly recommend stalking the
plants in addition to pruning. This
practice is Il preventive from rot AMI
srnburn. enables Il more perfect SUI
jrrcd, cracked or dcformcd spcci-
mems can be promptly removed; il
facilitates more thorough spraying,
and hence keeps down cut worm,
fungus diseases or other pests. The
stakes should be about 3 feet & in.
elcS long, driven into the ground
about & inches, and at about . or :,
inches from the plant, care bcins
taken not to injujrc the roots in
driving in the stake. The plants can
be tied loosely to the stake by raiil
o, some soft Irvine. the former hoin"
preferable.
1t must be borne in mind that
y. rning' and stalking do not actually
increase the yield, hut they great :
enhance the value of the cron ana
moreover ensure the grower gcttip';
very nearly all tina, is COMING -
him in the way Of fruit, of which
otherwise onc-half might be 10 /
from disease or damage.
Harvesting and Marketing Iha
exact time for picking the fruit d.
ponds very largely on the time ri
year and climate conditions if shi =
ped to northern points, as well rs
distance and time in transit to those
r,arkets For long distance ship
Ling the fruit should be gathered IN
any event just before it is fully riln.
If the weather is cold the fruit viii
not ripen on the road, and SO Should
be picked just as it commences %
link" but later in the season, VIII 4
the weather in the north is warmer,
pick the fruit when il commences 10
turn white. For a short distance
or for local market the fruit can ne
picked at a much ripper stage. In
gathering, great care should be tai.-
en- to handle the fruit. so as in 20
way to bruise it. Field boxes or
baskets lined with old sacking N
similar stuff, should be used To-
gathering, and carrying the fruit %
the packing shed. Here they should
be graded both as to size and color.
all stems removed wrapped in so't
paper, and packed, Il :
cording to grade, in four-quart bask-
cts, six of which 20 to the crate.
Fruit running 144 to the crate or > /