Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1925-04-29
GROW MORE STRAWBERRIES.
Maine is Producing Only One-Quar
ter of Berries Consumed Here.
George A Yeaton, State Horti-
culturiSt, Augusta.)

! George A. Yeaton,- State Horti-
/ culturiSt, Augusta.)
We are not growing more than Is
per cent of the Strawberries that are
consumed in Maine-the rs per cent.
is being brought in from other sec
tions of the country.
We ought to be growing this fruit
on the farms of Maine and keeping
| that money that is being paid out
for them at home. This can be done
in large measure by growing the
right varieties and those that are
adapted to our soils and conditions.
i Our first berries come from the South,
! and as the season advances we draw
| from the states nearer home, and by
| the time our fruit is ripe this sup
ply is nearly exhausted and the Gus
| toners appetite is whetted to the
keen edge where they are anxious
to get the luscious Maine grown fruit
and are willing to pay for it. For the
local market and family use we may
grow some of the earlier varieties,
| but for the main crop we should
plant the medium to late, so that we
may ship enough out of the State to
compensate for the dollars that were
paid for those that came to us be-
fore it was possible to ripen them
within our borders.
The greatest bugbear that is
thrown us is that the land is full of
witchgrass and the expense of fit
need not deter the grower in the
least To grow a profitable crop of
berries the field must be put in the
best possible physical condition and
this can be done by applying a liberal
coat of manure eight to ten cords per
acre spread broadcast and plowed I'M
der about six inches deep and disked
thoroughly until about the goth Of
June then sown to Japanese millet.
At this season the~ millet will grow
rapidly and will keep ahead of the
witchgrass When the heads begin to
form the millet should be broken
down with the land roller which must
be run so that the heads will all point
one way. Allow this to remain in
that position until the heads begin
to turn up, then pillow the land about
eight inches deep. This will bring
the well-rotted manure about two
inches below the surface and in the
right place to feed the plants. The
plot should be kept narrowed from
that time until the weed growth
ceases in the fall. This will so thor
oughly eradicate the witchgrass and
other weeds that we will have little
trouble from that source for some
time to come
l would recommend marking the
rows four feet apart and the plants
two feet in the row. The first row
should be marked perfectly straight
and all the others gagged by that.
If this is followed out carefully the
greater part of the cultivation the
first year can be done with the
horse by running the cultivator both
ways which will eliminate much hard
labor All the blossoms stems should
be picked off and no fruit allowed to
form the first year, as this will sap
the vitality of the plants and lessen
the productivity of the field.
A light mulch should be applied
in the late fall after the ground is
frozen to prevent the roots from be-
ing thrown out by the alternate
freezing and thawing. The mulch
should be left around the plants to
protect the berries from the grit be-
ing spattered on them. Grow the
best fruit and market it in clean
boxes and get the reward that be-
longs to you.