Show J fE EASY sy WORK GROWING G STRAWBERRY U CROP I By I L. L M. M BENNINGTON A gravelly soil having red red clay sub- sub soU II is probably the best for tor strawberries tics des and as to location if Jf one desireS desires I early fruit a n south slope would be bethe the for late Inte ones a north Jn shoud be s selected l te or No place could I be bev s selected that would be better than thun newly cleared amber land which has been properly if the land lund is old it lt may y toe be made sufficiently rich by the application c cation a oIl of of e Stable manure the winter vinter or early spring months It Ito N o I be best t to have the ground plowed lowed in the fall so so that the plants Iti may be bet s t ris as early as possible Inthe Inthe in inthe the sprIng cares to wait walt an i it would b be better to plant the ground ground to potatoes or some som other hoed crop which w will ll keep the ground clear dear of weeds App Apply Appy y pl plenty nt of f manure manure 20 20 O loads per Jer acre acre for for after the plants plants plants' have made a d seasons season's growth it is not advisable advisable advisable advis advis- able to supply s stable able manure on ac- ac the weed and grass seed In it iti Early in April is the be best t time to set plants and before this time the ground gi should be bc well pr prepared by plowing ving hi harrowing and rolling if Jf necessary essar essary to 10 pack it If If cavities are left in the soil solI and anda a 11 a plant should lie be set over one of these Jt LIt Is Is liable to perish unless there should be plenty of rain during the month after setting Selection of Plants In In n Fi selecting plants pants it ft Is usually tit to trust a re reliable dealer or nurseryman nurs nurs- nurs 1 eryman but one should have some of what constitutes a 11 goO good I I s sufficient to the imperfect blossoms I Preparing for Setting In Ia preparing the plants fOl foi settIng clip of oft an in n inch of the tho roots an anLe- anLe remove re- re e- e move someo some some-of the leaves If there are ure four foul leaves to the plant and when settIng setting make mako a l hole in the he soil deep and large enough to allow the roots to be spread out fan Th plant sh should uld be bes be's t so so the crown comes cornes even with the surface neither low Jow enough to allow of Its being covered covered cov coy ered cred with the tho soil nor so high that it will viII dry out I Whether one wishes to adopt the row matted row hedge or hill system depends upon the acreage as well as the climatic and soil solI conditions The row hedge which allows the plants to form irm a mat about 15 indies Inches wide wida Is probably l bably a good system system system-as as good as ns could be lie adopted for all conditions In Ia this case set the plants ts In rows rows 12 to 15 Inches apart with the rows four feet e t apart which will allow the be cultivated After the runners runners runners runners' run run- ners ners' start they should be lu laid d lengthwise length length- TI wise c In the rows where vh re they will im take taker r root zoot t and form a matted row Cultivation should continue to keep the Ithe r row w from matting In the middle and If plants take root th there re they should ild be cut ofT off reducing the the therow row to o the proper width I Advantages of Hill Setting The hill bill system has many advantages adwin- adwin advantages and it is better and and larger arger berries may may b be produced this way Possibly three feet apart each way vay is the proper distance to set the plants allowing only a n f few w of the J r- r r c. c f 4 j j- j IDEAL ROWS OF EARLY OZARK STRAW STRAWBERRIES ERRIES ant If they are to be selected from I the plan plant bed o of a 11 neighbor as is com coin com j mouly the case I Only plants of the previous seasons season's J growth should be used and these may IDay maybe 1 be distinguished by the j lesh white color of the roots j Old ld plants Which which have fruited have colored roots FOots the crown b beIngs r raised somewhat some above the surface e. e I There are ure perfect and imperfect flowering varieties and where the im- im kinds are used one must must- also have hwe perfect flowered ct ones to p plant ant aJon alongside side in order that all may be be properly fertilized d in blooming time I Th These e imperfect ki kinds ds can Scan be det de- de dei i I t only at blooming time b by bythe bythe the absence of the border of yellow pollen bearing stamens surrounding the pistil but the nurseryman knows the tile perfect varieties Some ome of the best varieties have imperfect im Im- Im- Im perfect bloom bloomers rs and Ind when planted in ill connection with the perfect blooming j I pr produce duce bountiful ul crops Ever Every fourth row row of the p perfect flowering kind is 1 runners to root and keeping the hill hm trimmed so as to tc form a single singie plant or cluster a foot in Ia diameter No m matter what system we follow the proper cultivation and preparation and setting are fire by no means menns the end of Ut the work Th The plants must be thoroughly thoroughly thor thor- cultivated the first year year- and andall andall andall all gr grass ss and weeds pulled out It Is also Just as important to remove remove re re- re- re move the surplus planTs or runners I have had as good results from plants plants' set in J June J ine and July as from those set earlier and when plants were ere scar scarce e and I desired to Increase the I 1 have taken token tl the e runners which have root rooted d and which it was desirable desirable to remove from the earlier settings and set them In rows in July and August Plants set even as late as September will sometimes bear good crops the following spring if they are t taken ken out of the old beds with dirt adhering and andset andset set at once without moving n a a great grent distance Missing places may be fill filled d dout out in tl this s way too |