The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-12-22

Clemson College Has Sent Boys Dlree
lions For Strawberry Culture That
VIII Be Useful to Adult Farmers
and Suburban DweIIers as WelI.-
Advice on All Steps, From Prepar.
Ing Soil to Packing Crates.
Eighty South Carolina corn club
boys, eighty Of the best in the State,
are adding strawberry culture to
their work. These are the boys who
By their corn club work last year,
won scholarships to Clemson College
for the summer course. During the
course they were promised that in.
structions for growing strawberries
would be sent to them in the fall and
the boys expressed themselves as
eager to try small patches Of the
luscious fruit as part Of their club
work.
F. J. Crider, associate professor OF
horticulture at Clemson College, has
prepared and sent the boys a set OF
instructions for strawberry culture.
These instructions are simple and
brief, but cover the subject in all i'm,
portant branches. They VIII be use.
ful to any who desire to grow straw.
berries and this should include large
number OF suburban dwellers as well
az farmers. Prof. Crider's directions
are as follows:
Sell for Strawberries. ANY kind
except bottom land and stiff clay.
Preparation Of Land. Break deco
ly, smooth the surface well, and lay
OF rows as for cotton. When ready
to plant, knock the bed down to
level.
Fertillzins. FertiIize heavily with
stable manure. either broadcast or in
the furrow, before planting. Each
fall. Just before mulching, apply
broadcast mixture Of about $50
pounds cottonseed meal, 400 ponds
kainit, and $50 pounds acid phosphate,
these being the amounts per acre.
Setting Plants. Set plants in
straight line, IS inches apart IN row.
Place plants in rather large holes
with roots spread apart and pack soil
firmly about them. Keep roots Of
plants moist until planting. Place
name Of variety on q stake at end OF
row.
Mulehins. As soon as plants are
set. cover ground all about plants With
heavy coating Of pine needles or oat
straw. This holds moisture and
keeps berries clean in spring. Apply
this mulch each year thereafter In
September.
cultivatlng. Begin cultivation just
after berries rre gathered. Cultivate
as for cotton. keeping a loose layer
Of soil on top and all weeds and grass
removed.
Treatment Of Runners FI-ss Sum-
sner. Let runners take root along
rows so as to get plants for a new
patch.
Setting New Patch. In September
use new plants IN setting out new
patch, following same method as BE-
fore.
Treatment for Second Summer.
Give same treatment as first summer,
except that all runners must be cut
or (unless more new plants are
wanted). Repeat this the third sum-
mer.
Treatment for Third Fall. Plow up
your old strawberry patch. Straw.
berry plants will not produce destr.
able berries after the third crop.
Gathering Fruit. Pinch berries
from stalks without bruising, leaving
stems On. Go over patch every other
day, sometimes every day. Pick ber'
ries when they are red, while yet
arm. Gather IN standard quart straw.
berry baskets. The basket Is sold
with the berries.
Sorting. While picking, place the
larger berries in one basket, the sec.
ond size in another, and the smallest
size (Which should not be marketed)
In third. This is very important.
Naming the Grades. Name the first
grade Extra Fancy" and the second
grade Fancy" Write name Of grade,
variety, and your own name on each
basket. Use quart aze strawberry
baskets. 80 to the crate, and see to 1t
that they are neat and clean. Get
prices on crates and baskets from
manufacturers and have supplies reach
you in ample time.
Arrangement Of Berries In Basket.
Have every basket well filed and ar.
range the berries on top in rows.
Garry baskets to market In neatly
packed crates. They will command
attention and bring the highest prices.