Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1914-06-16
Growing Small Fruits.

Growing Small Fruits.
There il no excuse for q man, wht
owns half.acre of land, in not growing
enough small fruit to supply his family
with choice berries throughout the sea
son.
| Fruits are a necessity, not luxury
from the standpoint of ideal condition.
of health, and should be on the table ir
every home. A few rods of land vii
produce bushels of choice fruit, II prop
erly cared for. A small bed Of straw
berries, a few short rows Of raspberries
half dozen currant and gooseberry
bushes will yield rich harvest oi
luscious berries.
We will discuss the proposition on 9
larger scale:
Selection of site: For ideal cOndi
tions we would prefer gentle slope to
the east or southeast, although for some
fruits like the raspberry and blackberry,
a northeast or even northerly slope
would not be Objectionable. The morn
ing sun is very desirable for fruit pro,
duction.
Soil: Berries can be grown in almost
any soil but, as q rule, they take kindly
to light loan, or in general terms, a
good corn land is good fruit land.
This must be in fine condition of tilth,
be deep, have a good humus content,
so as to retain moisture, be free from
witch grass and weed seed.
Soil Preparations: The great secret of
success lies in the correct preparation of
the soil, before the plants are set. The
land should have been under cultivation
for at least two years from the sod.
Plow in late fall, just before freezing,
turning it lightly, as deep as it has been
previously plowed. Apply q good coat
of barn manure. Cultivate 1t with a
disk harrow, and leave until spring. AS
soon as it is in condition to work, go
over it with a cut-a-way harrow, both
ways until 1t is nicely pulverized to the
depth of at least four inches. Mark Oh
the piece in straight rows and you are
ready for the plants.
Securing Plants: Purchase the varie-
ties you desire of some first-class nursery
house, or from near by reliable grower.
Trim the roots before setting and II nec-
essary dip them in water so as to keep
them from drying out.
Setting: 1t is very important that the
plants are we'll set. As rule, all roots
should be famed out in their natural di-
rection of growth. They should be COW
cred a little deeper than when grown in
the nursery. The soil should be pressed
firmly around each plant, and, IT neces-
sary, watered at the time of setting.
Cultivation: Cultivation should be
kept up through the season to conserve
moisture and prevent weed growth.
Fertilization: If the land is deficient
in nitrogen and humus, it would be well
to apply some hen manure or any good
commercial fertilizer at the time OF cul-
tivation.
Fall Care: If strawberries are grown,
they will need mulching for winter pro-
lection. Straw is best, unripe marsh
hay is good, but in any case, the plants
should be lightly covered.
Spring Care: AS soon as the land has
warmed up in spring, remove the mulch
and cultivate freely between the rows.
This applies to all small fruits, whether
mulched or not. Apply agood fertilizer
and cultivate or mulch as the case re-
quires. All old canes should be remov'
ed among the cane fruits, and any dis
eased or infested parts from the bush
fruits. After the fruiting season the
straw berry plants should be moved over
and the material burned, in all cases.
Insect and Fungous troubles: There
are many insect troubles to be handled;
among the most important being cane
borers, leaf eaters, fruit flies, and insects
affecting the roots. Among the fun
n Il L
rust and root-gall Of the cane fruits; an.
tbracnose, mildew, leaf spot, etc.
Results: AT present there is wide
field for the growing of small fruits in
the state. The demand far exceeds the
supply. Many may have failed to make
good on the first attempt, because OF
lack of knowledge Of the business, and
application to it.-E r. Hitchings, As
socate Professor of Horticulture, in
Maine Farmer.