Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1921-09-07
Strawberry Culture.


Clemson College, Aug. 31.-The
strawberry is probably the most GER
tain small fruit that can be grown
in this state; it is rarely injured by
frost, and Improperly fortified and
cultivated, a good crop may be Sc
cured annually. While the straw
berry grows well on almost any type
of well drained siol, a sandy loan
is the best.
Fall planting is better than spring
planting as there is less danger OF
the plants dying when tra%nsplanting
in October and November than in
March or April according to the
Clemson horticulturists. When plant
ed in early fall Strawberries will
produce a few berries the following
spring, but not enough for market
ing to any extent; when planted IN
the early spring they will produce
very few berries that spring,
but the following spring
a maximum crop will be produced.
1t is customary to allow the straw
berry field to stand from three to.
four years,-three or four crops
being harvested. If the plants are
properly cultivated and kept in sin
gle crowns, the field will remain in
profitable condition longer than it
will if the plants are allowed to
form in masses along the row..
Select land that is well adapted to
strawberries, pillow to a depth of 8
to 10 inches and harrow repeatedly
until absolutely free from clods.
Lay off rows 8 feet wide. Apply fer
tilizer in the drill, 600 to 800 pounds
per acre, and mix with the soil.
Then set the plants 10 inches apart
in this furrow, taking the greatest
care to see that the buds r not
placed below the general surface of
the soil. But in order that the plants
be placed deep enough in the ground
to prevent the roots from drying out,
they should be placed one-half to
one inch deeper than they stood on
the nursery row, and the soil should
be firmly packed about the roots. II
the soil is moist when the plants are
set out, there is no necessity of
watering; in case water is applied,
about one pint to each plant will be
sufficient, the wet soil being imme-
diately covered with dry soil in order
to prevent baking.
A good fertilizer for strawberries
on sandy loan soil is n that will
analyze 8 per cent phosphate acid,
a per cent. nitrogen, and a per cent
potash.
Cultivation should begin about two
weeks after the plants are set in or
der to destroy any fall weeds thatt
may appear. The strawberry grows
we'll during the fall months and for
that reason it is very necessary to
cultivate during October and Novem-
Der. It is at this season that the
strawberry produces embryo fruit
buds, which appear in the early
spring and produce berries. In March
or early April a side application of
an 8-4-4 fertilizer should be made
the amount depending upon the
growth the plants r making-the
usual amount being 400 to 600
pounds per acre. Cultivate absolute
ly clean throughout the spring, sum-
mer andfall.
For local market the Excelsior is
probably the best extra early berry,
and the Lady Thompson the best
general purpose berry where a heavy
yield is desired. The Excelsior ripens
about ten days before the Lady
Thompson, but the berries are small
er and the yield is not so large. For
commercial purposes, where the ber-
ries r to be shipped to distant mar
kets, the Klondyke is probably the
best variety to. plant, on account of
the fact that it stands shipment bet
ter than the other varieties named.
There are a great many other good
varieties, but the ones mentioned
above will meet all requirements for
home use, local market and shipping
purposes.
Two distinct methods are prac-
ticed in growing berries. One is to
remove the runners as fast as they
5000. .a 1 IT, o1