The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1922-09-22
SET OUT A NEW STRAW
BERRY BED THIS FALL

How foolish It is for people with
sunny exposures going to waste to
pay each summer twenty-five cents
a quart for inferior Strawberries,
when for that same price they could
purchase q dozen or two plants which
would yield the very best quality
berries.
Where to Plant Strawberries
In choosing the location for your
berry patch, do not select too shelter
ed a spot where the plants will come
land, known for its dairy products in
all parts Of the world.
Cleanliness in the dairy industry
up too early in the spring and run
the risk Of being hit by the frost, but
try to get an airy, sunny spot on q
southern slope.
Strawberries thrive very we'll on
an acid soil, so it Is not necessary to
plant them on ground that has been
recently lined.
In preparing your strawberry bed
in the fall, it is necessary to prepare
Luo kIOUAu lux Will OAS40 V0X0s
Cultivate the ground much more
thoroughly than you would in the
springtime, planting the berries II
possible, after q good. soaking rain
in order to make up for the moisture
that is in the ground naturally at
spring planting time.
It is best to use a horse and har-
row in preparing your bed, but, if
these are not available, use the hand
pillow attachment to the wheel hoe.
or fork the ground up all over most
thoroughly. as simply digging out
holes in sun-baked soil will not be
sufficient preparation.
Apply old, we'll rotted manure to
the soil, or good complete" fertil-
izer, and work it we'll in, either
broadcast. or along the row.
"Hill" System Of Planting Best
for Home Gardens.
There are two systems for planting
strawberry plants, the Hill system,
and the Matted row system. The
Matted row system of planting is the
one most generally used. In this lat
ter system, the plants are set from
IL to Is inches apart in rows two
or three feet apart. As the new run
ners appear, they are rooted between
and to the sides of the original
plants, until a mat from Is to Is
inches wide is formed. The plants
that form the mat should not be
closer together than five or six
inches.
In the chill" system, the plants
are set in rows about foot apart.
The rows may be single, or four or
five together in q bed, the rows a
foot apart with a two-foot alley be-
tween the beds. In this case alLrun.
ners are pinched off as soon as they
start and the ground hoed between
the hills. Where only few plants
are grown and the soil is rich and
may be watered, this method will
probably give the best satisfaction.
Before setting the strawberry
plants, the roots should be trimmed
back about a half, and all dead
broken and large leaves removed, in
order to make the plant as stocky
and sturdy as possible. Sometimes
| this is done in the nursery before
they are sent out.
1t is always better to plant the
strawberries on cloudy day, or late
in the afternoon, and after they are
planted keep them we'll watered enc
shaded If possible until they root anG
get good start.
Firming the soil thoroughly Will
the balls of the feet about each plan
as it is set is one of the most import
ant parts in strawberry planting, ant
will go far towards securing success
Before severe frost sets in, care
fully mulch the strawberry patel
with salt or meadow hay II they ca,
be procured, but II this is not DOS
sible. any straw, hay or old Leaves
will do for this purpose. Cover Will
this mulch to depth Of two or tire,
inches. holding 1t in place is neces
sary with boards. Leave this mulcl
on the bed until growth begins in tn
springtime.
II Some Good Varieties for the
II Homo Garden.
II Among the most satisfactory an,
hardest varieties for home use are
Early Jersey Giant and Premier. 70
early; Edmond Wilson and Marshall
for midseason; and Chesapeake an,
Stevens Late Champion, for late.
BY all means, few Of the ever
bearing type should be included. On
Of the best of these is Progressive.
which will yield good sized berrie
up until hard frost.