Show strawberries tor fw conr it would seem to be b e the part of ltv flom dona tor for till oil who till the tha soil to ea special attention to those crops that are almost sure to pay this Is IB especially true when the number of paying crops Is small A crop pays when it brings in satisfaction more than it costs to produce it there la is a home market in every farmers family tor for a al few bushels ot of strawberries and the price they will bring lg is so satisfactory so far beyond the cost that the wonder Is that any farmer falls to supply this demand every person who Is at all proficient ns as a grower of strawberries knows perfectly well that the cost of producing them is not groat great and all who have had an abundant supply know that they contribute very much to tho the enjoyment of 0 all concerned having perfect confidence in the soundness ot of these propositions I 1 will try to tell how to grow this fruit at small expense early in the spring select a strip of ground in a convenient place not too lar far irom from the house and fully exposed to the sun it if the ground has been cultivated tor for two years you will be less likely to be troubled with white grubs the plot should be long and narrow so that it can be cultivated with a horse you should have at least two square rods tor for each member of the family put on a heavy coating of manure and plow it under then harrow very thoroughly and smooth the surface with the float all this should be done as soon as the ground Is dry enough then procure plants ot of two good varieties rie ties one early and one late both having perfect blossoms the marshall and brandywine would be a good selection cut the roots back to two or three inches and plant with the crown level with the surface packing the ground firmly about the roots the rows should be three feet apart and the plants sixteen inches in the row the bed should be cultivated and an d hoed immediately after planting so as to leave a loose surface that will prevent the evaporation ot of moisture from the soil this Is the main in aln object ot of stirring the soil and it should be done often enough to keep a loose surface at all times this incidentally dentally prevents the growth ot of weeds from one to two inches Is deep enough to stir the ground and it should be kept up till october the blossoms that come out in may must be cut oft off and all runners its is they come out through the growing season this must be faithfully attended to or the old plants will be exhausted by supporting a lot ot of useless runners just as soon as the last hoeing is given at the first ot of october or earlier an inch or two of cut straw should he be put on the surface between the plants in the row it if all tho the space between the rows can be covered so much the better this will protect the surface roots from the first freezing and thawing and still leave the foliage to do its work until the end of the season at the beginning of winter the bed should be well cove covered red with straw which la is to be removed from directly over the crowns when growth commences in the spring As soon as the fruit Is secured the leaves are to be cut off and when they are dried the mulch is to be stirred up and the bed burnt over new healthy growth will start at once and not a rusty leaf will be seen that season as a rule the bed is to receive the same care it bad the first season it if these diorec directions items are followed there will be a failure in twenty years INI crawford Craw tord |