The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-04-12
o. W. IvERSEN, OF THIS CITY,
GIVES INTERESTING FACTS
RELATIVE TO COST OF PRO-
DUCTI0N, PROPER CARE, ETC,
AND DETURNS FROM ACRE OF
BERRIES

SSoe0no3eev
DUCTION, PROPER CARE, ETC,
AND DETURNS FROM ACRE OF
BERRIES
(By U. V. Iverson, Lakeland, in the
Florida Times-Union.)
Strawberries are one crop of
southern Florida that is grown and
harvested SO differently than in the
North. that a description is almost
unbelievable. A crop of berries
here is plated every year, and when
through bearing is plowed under
and another crop planted after
them. Instead of producing during
a period of say three or at most four
weeks, our berry crop lasts from
November to July, if so desired, al
though usually they are plowed I'M
der in April and crop of corn or
cowpeas put in their place, the
ground being again planted to ber-
ries in September or October and
producing merchantable berries by
November Is to December 1.
1t does not necessarily take an ex-
perienced grower to make good ber-
ries here. A little common sense
mixed with such book learning as
can be obtained will shortly make a
good profitable berry man or wom-
an, providing, of course, that always
behind the grower Is goodly
amount Of energy and elbow grease,
so essential in any business enter
prise.
The growth of berry crop is an
all-year round business. During
the month of January preparations
are made for the coming years crop,
in that Northern-grown plants are
purchased and planted for runners
to be used as plants for the fields
in the fall. Such plants not having
been used as berry makers in the
North will begin almost immediate
ly to set runners, they came as they
do in the North during the fall, and
each plant will make from fifty to
one hundred plants according to
how we'll grown they are and. Of
course, somewhat as to climatic
conditions during the summer.
Plants, as q rule, cost the grower
from 50 to $3.50 per 1000, plus ex-
pressage. The plants made by the
grower usually sell for the same
price locally in the fall. and most
growers have more plants than are
needed for their own use, and in this
way they make something on their
first investment for runner plants
A black sandy loan, fairly low
land, we'll drained, usually makes
the best berries and in some locali.
ties it is found Of advantage to have
an irrigation system in connection
though about the Lakeland section
an irrigation system Is not at ali
necessary for the best results, al
land hereabouts has that moisture.
retaining quality very seldom found
elsewhere.
About August / to 10 prepare
lions in the field begin, in that the
ground is thoroughly broken ant
we'll mulched and by September
weather conditions permitting, tn,
first application Of fertilizer is made
consisting of 5-6-5 formula. On,
thousand pounds to the acre is thu
usual amount for best results ant
the cost of this is about $3.50 PEI
ton. Allowing about ten days To-
thorough assimilation with the soil
plant setting begins and two mel
should easily set an acre a day, o.
10000 to 10000 plants according t,
q single or double row system.
Single Row System the Best
A word about the single or dou
BILE row system. It Is contended b.
some that the double row system 4
better in that the same amour o
fertilizer will do for double tn
number of plants, but in actua
practice such has not been found t
be the case. Plants should be Sc
one foot apart in the row and tn
rows, II planted single, should b
at least three feet apart and doubl
four feet apart. Admitting for tn
sake Of argument that the sam
amount of fertilizer will fertiliz
two rows, which the writer contend
1t will not to give the proper amour
to each plant, 1t costs more in tn
end to cultivae double-row fielt
and the work is not so clean an
satisfactory as where single ro'
Is planted, as 1t Is much harder
get between two rows Of plants tina
between the plants in single row
and that being the case, some of til
plants do not get the attention the
should and in consequence do M
bear the amount of fruit that the
would II each plant were kept pc
fectly clean, thing impossible
do except at a cost higher than Il
results warrant.
Plants will usually begin to sht
bloom in from sixty to seventy da
after being planted and then 1t
time to apply another lot Of fertil