The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1919-04-10
RESULTS OF BERRY
FERTILIZATION
tBy Gordon G. Brown
Continued from last week.

The amounts were either applied al
one time or equally divided, one halt
being put on in early spring and the
remainder when blossoms appeared
Thus We are able to compare results
on the basis of time applied and
amounts used.
Nitrate, when combined with super
phosphate or sulphate of potash. was
used at the rate of 220 pounds per
10000 plants. while superphosphate or
sulphate of potash whether used alone
or IN combination. We're used at the
rate of 470 and l25 pounds respective.
ly. As will be noted all combinations
possible for these fertilizers were
made. All fertilized plats other tnan
those in which nitrate was used, re.
eeived one application in early spring
and none at blossom time. These tests
represent three successive annual ap-
plications.
! These tests were based on applica-
tons before the harvest season. since
1t is the common conception that de-
mands for available fertility are
greatest at that time. Prof. S. W.
Fletcher, of the Pennsylvania State
College. in his text book on STRAW
berry Growing. is quoted as follows
Although the amount Of plant food
actually removed by the strawberry
plant is small, the crop responds to
liberal fertilizing This is partly be-
cause 1t has high money value an
acre prospective. at least but chiefly
because OF the very short time be
tween the blossom and the ripe fruit.
In the north the plants have only
about four weeks in which to develop a
crop that may. weigh three or four
times more than the plants. The ap-
pie has several months in which to
mature its fruit, a large crop Of which
IS not nearly equal to the weight of
the trees. Hence, the main fertilizer
requirements of the staw berry is that
the plant food shall be immediate ~
available.
Furthermore, owing to the very open
structure of the soil on which these
experimental plans were growing and
the extreme solubility of the nitrate it
was feared that a considerable portion
of that applied in early spring might
bc ltdCHSu away utlOlt IL WAS IullN
utilized by the plant. hence on some
pats two equal applications Of the to-
tai amount indicated were made.
Yield AS will be noted, yields for
1916 on an average far surpass those
of either 1917 OF 1918. The great dlf-
ference in yields shown were due prob
ably more to seasonal change than to
age Of plants. The winter of 1915 Is
was quite favorable. Snow covered the
plants throughout the dormant season
when low temperatures prevailed
The picking season Of 1910, although
for harvesting on account
Of the excessive rainfall, was never.
theiess long ard comparatively cool,
allowing the fruit to ripen slowly ana
uniformly. On the other hand, the
winters of 1916 and 1917 were not 50
favorable, since during considerable
portions of the dormant season snow,
nature 3 mulch, was absent and he
plants We're subjected to heaving and
thawlng together with drying winds.
Frost injury during the blossoming
season also was a contributing factor
Furthermore, the harvesting seasons
of 1917 and 1918 were short and hot.
resulting in rapid ripening and de
creased yields.
(To be continued