Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1914-10-24
$500 PROFIT IN
STRAWBERRIES
So ACRE USED
San Ee6iio Farmer Tells How He Made a
Neat Sum Last Season Out OF Raising
the Luscious Strawberry-much AtteE-
lion is Required by Crop.
BEST METHOD OF GROWING:
SHOULD BE SET BY NOV.
Shade for Plants in Summer is Most Per-
picking Problem and This Farmer Over
comes 1t by Planting 0kra for This
Necessary Condition.

Five hundred dollars wa, made last sea-
ION on the San Bcnito tract from straw
berries grown on tivc-cighth- of an acre.
George Matthews. whose truck farm j. a
short distance out from the city. grew the
berries and made this statement OF
hi returns. The barics were harvested
from January until June
When "A representative of The Light, last
Saturday. set out ON the trail of the story
OF -trawbcrric, that had been mintcd INTO
5000. aud that too az a rate that meant
close to a thousand dollars an acre. he
was Inclined To believe that some one had
trItlcd with figures. But after he had
found Mr.. Matthcw~-in the very place
where one might expect 10 find a farmer
who wa- getting approximately two cents
\ square foot from land. hi~ strawberry
patch-and heard him and hi~ ~un talk
about berry culture, Ne understood that
the figures had not been iuyglcd.
According ~ Mr.. Matthews, Or rather
hi son. H.. l. Matthews. who keeps the rec
ord>. strawberries require u great deal ~
attention and cultivation. and that j. what
they gave their plants on the fNe-ciehth>
Of an acre. They were not only well irri-
gated but the land wa also well drained.
The soil was continually kept IN a mulch.
The result was that this patch OF ground"
scarcely larger than a kitchen garden.
produced approximately 5000 quarts of
berries. Part were sold IN the local mar
ket. the rest shipped.
Despite the fact that the Weld was large.
the individual berries were of excellent
size. Mr.. Matthews told of some boxes.
IN which he counted the berries. where fifty
made a quart.
Speaking Of what they had found to b.
the best methods Of raising ~>irawberric~
here. the Younger Mr.. Matthews said F:
From October - ~ November | T. 4 good
time ~ ~ct out plants. III cool weather
comes earlier. planting may
earlier. We nave been tran-nlanting III
the tall because II enables w. IN keep the
plants N row. and cultivate more cffcc-
lively. IN continued On the same land. the
%runner- are likely to interfere with cul-
tivation. We select ground that /, well
drained and easily irrigated. The plants
are injured II water covers them and re-
mains standing. With such ground they
need to be watcrcd only once in two week..
unless the weather J. very hot and windy.
when they should have water once "A week.
Between irrieation> We keep the soil in a
mulch"
During the summer months they have
been protecting their plants bv shade. using
okrl, nut Mr.. Matthews -aid he did not
consider thi~ necessary II the plants were
we'll watcrrd IA The hot season. 'They
are shallow rooted, h.wcyt'r.r ~ added.
'and during the heat ~ summer they ~
quirr 2 lot nj moisture But last wear
and thi~ present season ukra ha- formed
The shade Ior thc plants. after thr hcrric-
have been harvested. and last year. when
they oriy had one halt acre " berries.
which Nicided close IL $500. they made
80 from thc okra.
on October II the marketing VI thc
"kra was Just beginning. w the returns
from that crop this year can not ~ given.
rom that same iivc-eighfh> Of an acre.
between the berries and the shade crop.
however the returns may be- con~cravtively
estimated at 500 for the year.
The plants which were being set ont last
Saturday. October Il. Mr.. Matthew, ex-
poets To be bearing about the middle al
January "About ninety day. from the
time of tran>planting We expect 10 begin
harvesting the b~crrie~.r he said THAT
means. II You plant about October Is. the
middle 81 january. From that date rhcy
bore last wear until June. We grow only
the klondike. We have found that these
are bet suited ~ thi- soil and climate
Mr.. Matthews said that ~ had no exact
record a. ~ the cost NJ production.
"The labor wa put IN piece meal fash
ION. an hour NOW and ~ N. Nv that II
would bc difficult w wv inst what vas
thc cost oi rroirriiun." hc said. .hut I
consider y no more cu-tIy than growing
lettuce"
On thr Matthews farm NJ ah,ut sixteen
acres lat Saturday there wl> evidence
everywhere NJ diversified truck gardening.
Beside the Strawberries. IN which abnnt
three-tonrt- 81 an acre j. being planted
ihi> year. there wa also lettuce. onions,
white potatoes. asparagus, peppers, beans.
and peas. and an acre or 80 of forage.
Mr. Matthews came here from Indiana
two wears ago. He farmed there. hut thu
hi~ first experience in truck growing
ran Benito Light.