Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1916-11-22

Berries of all kinds, like other cul-
tivated crops, require the right kind
of soil and preparation for the best
results, says contributor to the
Farm Progress. Big and profitable
crops of berries grow from soil that
Is well fortified and thoroughly
worked before the plants are set out
in the hills or rows. :.
Moisture conditions of the soil at
feet the yield of all kinds OF berries
wonderfully. In years when the soil
is moist during fruiting season the
crops are usually large, while at 9TH
er seasons when the soil is dry when
the fruit is setting and ripening the
crops are usually light and often an
entire failure. Other things consid-
cred, to regulate the soil moisture of
the Kerry patch means practically
regulating the berry harvest.
The humus supply in the soil deter
mines to a large degree the length of
time moisture will be held during
dry spell during the growing season.
The more humus the longer moisture
will be held; the humus the quick
er the soil will dry out and the plants
suffer. One of the best ways to
supply humus to the soil and at the
same time furnish extra fertility is
to apply stable manure. Land that
is to be planted to berries this COM
ing spring should be covered heavily
with manure this winter, the sooner
the better.
If the berry patch soil is covered
early in the winter any kind of fresh
stable manure may be used literally
with safety. During the winter and
early spring it will have time to
leach, decompose and become mild, to
be turned under when the soil is
plowed. 1t is safe to apply and pillow
under fresh manure for berries, be-
cause the fresh manure has a tend
ency through fermentation and de-
cay to dry the young plants. If
berry soil is treated in late winter or
early spring the manure should be
reasonably we'll decomposed and mild.
That from COW stables is milder than
that from horse stables.
For winter treatment of berry soil
any kind of manure of home produc-
ed fertilizer may be used. A variety
is better than a single kind. That
from the poultry house is excellent,
but must be scattered thinly over the
ground, as it is strong. That from
hog and sheep houses is good, but
is rich and must be used sparingly.
The different kinds may be mixed to-
gether for use. Wood ashes are ex-
cellent fertilizer for all kinds of
fruits. They may. be applied to the
soil any time during the winter and
early spring.
One of the best ways to use poul-
try droppings on small fruit is TO
use coal ashes or dry soil mixed with
and to serve as moisture and odor alb
sorbent for the perch droppings. In
this way the full value of the drop
pings is saved, and when the fertil-
izer is applied with the absorbent it
is disintegrated and mild for use.
More surface can be covered with the
same amount of fertilizer. Do not,
however, use wood ashes in the
poultry house as an absorbent for
poultry droppings, as the ashes de-
compose the droppings.
Ground rock phosphate, either
calculated or raw, may be applied to
the berry soil with good results. If
the calculated is used apply it only
just before planting time, or even
later, working it into the soil be-
tween rows through cultivation, as
it acts quickly. Raw rock phosphate
may be applied any time before pre-
pairing the soil because it dissolves