The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1922-09-15

4 How foolish it is for people witt
: sunny exposures going to waste tt
pay each summer twenty-five cents
: La quart for inferior Strawberries
when for that same price they could
!. purchase 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 a
southern slope.
| Strawberries thrive very well 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
| the ground for it with extra care.
Cultivate the ground much more
thoroughly than you would in the
springtime, planting the berries ii
possible, after a good, soaking rain
in order to make up for the moisture
that is in the ground naturally at
spring planting time.
1t 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, well rotted manure to
the soil, or a good complete" fertil- |
izer, and work it well in, either
broadcast, or along the row.
"HiII' 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 1S
inches wide is formed The plants
closer together than five or six
inches.
In the "Hill'' system, the plants
are set in rows about a foot apart.
The rows may be single, or four or
five together in bed, the rows a
foot apart with two-foot alley be-
tween the beds. In this case all run
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
give the best satisfaction.
Before setting the strawberry
plants, the roots should be trimmed {
back about half, and all dead,
broken and large leaves removed, in
order to make the plant as stocky
and sturdy as possible. Sometimes
his is done in the nursery before
hey are sent out.
1t is always better to plant the I
strawberries on cloudy day, or late :
n the afternoon, and after they are
planted keep them we'll watered and
shaded if possible until they root and
get good start.
Firming the soil thoroughly with
he balls of the feet about each plant :
IS it is set is one of the most import l
mt parts in strawberry planting, and .
will go far towards securing success.
Before severe frost sets in, care
ully mulch the strawberry patch Y
With salt or meadow hay if they can |
'e procured, but If this is not pos d
ible, any straw, hay or old leaves !
will do for this purpose. Cover with
his mulch to a depth of two or three .
inches, holding it in place is neces- =
airy with boards. Leave this mulch
N the bed until growth begins in the 9
q
Some Good Varieties for the
Home Garden. r
Among the most satisfactory and
ardiest varieties for home use are,
Iarly Jersey Giant and Premier for o
arly; Edmond Wilson and Marshall, c
or midseason; and Chesapeake and n
tevens Late Champion, for late. b
BY all means, a few of the ever G
caring type should be included. One b
+ the best of these is Progressive, @
hitch will yield good sized berries p