Rocky Ford enterprise., 1913-04-11

be made 80 inches apart and the plants
set 15 inches apart in the rows. When
these distances are observed 1t re-
quires $4,000 plants for one acre.
The strawberry has few enemies in
the way of insect pests or fungous dis
eases. But this fact should never lead
the grower to be unmindful of his duty
to be at all times prepared to meet any
troubles that may come to him from
these sources.
Plants Must Be MuIehed.
Mulching strawberry plants is
prime essential to the growers sue
cess, and for several important rea-
sons. One of these. the clean fruit
which good mulching insures. Nothing
is more distasteful or more unsightly
than sandy, gritty strawberries. and
the man who puts that sort of fruit on
the market will have only himself to
blame II he finds he is losing his trade.
Clean fruit. well ripened and carefully
packed In boxes. Is Just as appetizing
as 1t looks, and the average man would
rather pay 25 cents for quart of such
fruit than to pay ten cents for the In
ferior stun SO frequently found upon
the markets.
Fruit should be 30 clean as it lies on
the straw that no cleaning process
should ever be required. AS to ma
terials, any kind of straw will produce
the desired results. but my first choice
Is wheat straw; the second choice is
oat straw. However, shredded corn
stalks. sorghum pomace. coarse grass,
marsh hay, or any other material pos
sessing the qualities found in these
will serve the purpose. Atlantic coast
people use sea weed with success. In
the south. where freezing and thawing
never occur, the needles of the pine
are very generally employed as mulch.
In northern latitudes make the
mulch from two to four inches deep
between the rows, and anywhere from
one-half-inch to an inch over the plants
themselves. In the spring simply part
the mulch from over the plants, adding
1t to the mulching already between the
rows. Mulch after the first good freeze
in the fall. and part the mulching from
over the plants as soon as real spring
weather comes on.
Preparation for the second crop
should receive attention directly after
the first crop has been entirely har-
vested The first thing to do is to NOW
off the plants close to the crown. This
may be done with a moving machine
or a scythe.
When the field has been entirely
cleared of the refuse matter. whether
1t be burned over or raked of. take a
breaking plow and throw a furrow
from each side of the row into the Gen.
ter, leaving the plants about six inches
wide in the rows. Then go along the
rows with hoe and thin out the plants
until the hills are from 16 to 20 inches
apart, being careful to remove the
weakest appearing plants.
A five-tooth cultivator should be
used to level back to place the ridges
which the plow has made between the
rows. Be careful to see that the soil
is drawn all around the roots of the
plants which are allowed to remain,
and be sure to cover the crowns light
" with soil. doing the latter work
with hoe or garden rake.
This will aid the plants to form a
new and vigorous root system, which
will develop just above the old roots
and below the crown. Cultivation and
hoeing should proceed exactly as in
the case of the new-set bed. Permit
these plants to make runners until all
the vacant spaces in the rows are
filed. For the second crop l advise
either the hill system or the double
hedge row for all varieties.
Sometimes plants in the spring indi-
cate a lack of vitality. Wherever
this occurs advise the use of nitrate
of soda for the purpose of stimulating
the plants to secure better results.
II in the autumn your plants indicate
lessened vitality. give them a good
dressing Of well-rotted stable manure
lust before the mulching is applied.
The third way of stimulating the
plants is. in the early spring, to draw
the mulching away from the center Of
the rows and cultivate.
This work should be done after all
danger from frost is past. but this cul-
tiyation never should be done while
plants are blooming unless the soil is
sufficiently moist to prevent dust from
flying. repeat that the looking after
the plants in this way gives a double
assurance of success in the growing OF
strawberries.
Copyright. ioia by C. NJ. shuitz)