Part 25

If these simple instructions are followed, the everbearers will prove exceedingly profitable either for home use or market.

Crop Rotation

Crop rotation is very essential in strawberry growing. After plants have fruited two years, they should be plowed under and the ground planted to some other crop. This may be done as soon as they have finished their second crop.

Cantaloupes make an ideal crop for rotation because they do not draw heavily upon the fertility of the soil and their viny nature keeps the soil mellow. Two years in strawberries, one year in cantaloupes then back to strawberries, with a legume crop to rest and replenish the soil once every five years, fertilizing each year, makes the very best program of rotation for the strawberry grower.

Any of the legumes--clover, cow-peas, soy beans, velvet beans, vetch or alfalfa, are ideal crops for rotation because they add great quantities of humus and nitrogen to the soil. Vegetables or farm crops also may be used to advantage as rotation crops.

Irrigation

Irrigation is an insurance policy on the crop, therefore, if you are situated so that you can irrigate you will find it highly profitable to do so. One can realize only through actual experience, the increased profits which result from irrigation.

The two systems most generally used are the overhead or sprinkling system and the ditch or gravity system. With the overhead system, the water is applied in the form of a fine rain. With the ditch system, shallow furrows or corrugations are made between the rows into which water is run until the entire ground is wet. The water may be obtained either from a well, lake, river or city supply. It may be applied during the heat of the day if desired without any injury to the crop, however if applied at night the evaporation is less. The ground should be cultivated as soon after irrigation as conditions will permit.

We have in operation on the Kellogg Farm, 120 acres of Skinner Overhead Irrigation which was selected by us as the best after a thorough testing of several different systems. Our experience with Skinner Irrigation has been so satisfactory that we recommend it to our customers with absolute confidence that it will prove equally satisfactory and profitable both for the small home garden and the large commercial strawberry grower. For irrigating the small strawberry or vegetable garden or the lawn and shrubbery, Kellogg’s Rain-Maker, manufactured for us by the Skinner Irrigation Company, is unequalled as it furnishes positive insurance against drouth. For description and price, see Page 63.

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“In the spring of 1920 I set 1,250 Kellogg Pedigree Plants. The varieties were Kellogg’s Premier, Dr. Burrill, Magic Gem, Kellogg’s Prize and Kellogg’s Big Late. Plants made excellent growth until August, when a severe hail storm which caused over $50,000.00 damage in our County, stripped their foliage giving them a serious set-back. In spite of this, they produced 600 quarts of fine berries this season which brought 25 and 30 cents per quart with ready sale. I follow the Kellogg Way and find it most profitable. I intend to order 1,200 more Kellogg Plants in time to be sure of getting them next spring.”

James C. Tarrance, Kansas.

Kellogg Strawberry Dainties

Compiled by Mrs. F. E. (C. J.) Beatty

NOTE: In the following recipes (with the exception of uncooked sun preserves), any light colored syrup may be substituted for sugar by using equal weights of berries and syrup and adding one cup sugar to each quart syrup. If boiling is required, boil slowly.

Serving Strawberries in the South

Folks ’way down South eat strawberries in wholesale lots and make them up in many tasteful ways. A favorite breakfast dish in the South is to sprinkle hot waffles with sugar and then spread over them plenty of freshly mashed strawberries. Another good dish is hot toast moistened with butter and cream and then covered with mashed or cut berries.

The pie-eating members of the family will enjoy the Southern way of making strawberry custard pie. Make your favorite recipe for custard pie with milk, eggs, sugar and grated nutmeg, but leave out the strawberry juice or any acid flavoring; then, just before serving, cut some berries in half and spread them thickly over the top of the pie, and cover with a meringue flavored with lemon juice.

Strawberry Tarts

Line tart tins with nice puff paste, filling with plum pits, corn or some such thing so they will keep their shape while baking. When done, fill with sweetened strawberries and heap up with whipped cream.

Fancy Shortcake

Pour one cupful boiling water over two cups sugar, boil for five minutes, then cool. Separate the whites from yolks of four eggs and beat the yolks until thick; then add the syrup to them, beating constantly; now add two cups flour sifted with one and one-half teaspoons baking powder; add a pinch of salt and one teaspoon lemon juice, then fold in the whites, beaten stiff and dry; spread in two round layer cake tins, bake in a quick oven. When done, remove to warm platter; spread with fine sugar and crushed berries. Place on top a thick meringue of beaten egg whites seasoned with sugar and arrange berries about the cake.

Bottling Sun-Preserved Strawberries

Strawberries hold the color and shape better when preserved in the sun. Weigh the fruit; to each pound allow three-quarters of a pound of sugar; put a layer of sugar, a layer of fruit, another layer of sugar on a large granite or stoneware platter, cover with glass and stand in the hot sun. As the sun cools toward evening bring them in and put them out again the next day. Lift each berry carefully with a fork and arrange them neatly in tumblers or bottles. Boil the syrup for five or six minutes, pour it over the fruit, cover with the glass and let them stand all night in a cold place. Next morning cover the jars with melted paraffine, over which stretch tissue paper and fasten it down with white of egg. When the covers are dry brush them over with water.

Strawberry Cream

Mash one quart berries with one cup powdered sugar and rub through fine sieve; dissolve one and one-half ounces gelatine in one pint sweet milk; strain and add one pint whipped cream and the berry juice. Pour into a wet mould and set on the ice to form.

Strawberry Jam

Take equal parts of berries and granulated sugar, mash them together, put into a preserving kettle and cook for more than half an hour. Put into jars and when cold, seal.