CALIFORNIA 
 AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE 
 
 CIRCULAR 23 
 
 December, 1928 
 
 STRAWBERRY CULTURE 
 IN CALIFORNIA 
 
 A. H. HENDRICKSON 
 
 PUBLISHED BY 
 
 THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 Cooperative Extension work in Agriculture and Home Economics, College of Agriculture, 
 University of California, and the United States Department of Agriculture cooperating. Dis- 
 tributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914. B. H. Crocheron, 
 Director, California Agricultural Extension Service. 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRINTING OFFICE 
 
 BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA 
 
 1928 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2011 with funding from 
 
 University of California, Davis Libraries 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/strawberrycultur23hend 
 
STRAWBERRY CULTURE IN CALIFORNIA 
 
 A. H. HENDEICKSONi 
 
 Strawberry growing in California is an industry usually located 
 within easy reach of large centers of population. The product may 
 be classed as highl}^ perishable in nature and requires careful handling 
 and excellent transportation facilities. Paved roads and automobile 
 trucks have widened the potential strawberry districts, and have im- 
 proved the condition in which berries arrive on the market. Although 
 production costs are high, this fact is usually counterbalanced by the 
 comparatively high returns per acre. The unit in strawberry culture 
 in California is ordinarily ' determined by the amount of land that 
 can be handled conveniently by one family. Sometimes extensive 
 plantings of this fruit are found, but it will usually be observed that 
 these large areas are split into smaller units, which are handled by 
 one man with the assistance of his family and intimate friends. 
 
 The general conditions of the industry in California have probably 
 not varied over a long period. There have been fluctuations in acre- 
 age planted and prices received from year to year, but over a period 
 of four years, from 1924 to 1927 inclusive, the acreage and yield in 
 California have remained nearly stationary.^ It is probable that 
 increased plantings will keep pace with the increase in population. 
 Statistics which give only the total acreage and total production 
 do not, however, always give an accurate story of the industry in any 
 given district. It is well known that strawberries produce more fruit 
 per acre in their second year than in any other period. Hence, a 
 small reported acreage, if a majority of the plantings are in their 
 second year, may show a larger production in a given district than 
 a larger planting the following year. 
 
 Although strawberries are grown to a greater or less extent in 
 nearly every state, this fact does not seriously influence the industry 
 in California. Strawberries grown in the state are, for the most part, 
 consumed locally. Some are shipped to the inter-mountain states and 
 to eastern markets. Usually the California berries ripen before those 
 in the surrounding region and hence do not meet competition with 
 the berries grown in those sections. Furthermore, because of the 
 
 1 Associate Pomologist in the Experiment Station. 
 
 2 Crops and Markets, published by U. S. Dept. Agr., vol. 
 1927. 
 
4 CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE [CiRC. 23 
 
 comparatively mild climate under which most of the California ber- 
 ries are produced, this fruit is shipped to market over a long period 
 extending from April until about November. It is interesting to note 
 that the pack of canned strawberries in California has markedly 
 declined during the last few years. According to figures compiled 
 by the Canners' League of California, the average pack for the years 
 1920 to 1923 inclusive was 4,204 cases; no strawberries were canned 
 commercially during 1924 and 1925 ; and only 322 cases were canned 
 in 1926. 
 
 The principal strawberry sections in California are found in the 
 central coast section, in southern California around the city of Los 
 Angeles, in smaller districts in Sacramento County and in the San 
 Joaquin Valley, with some plantings in the Imperial Valley, Placer 
 County, and other scattered regions. According to statistics compiled 
 by the Crop Reporting Service of the California State Department 
 of Agriculture, the approximate acreage of strawberries in 1926 was 
 as follows : 
 
 County or district Acres 
 
 Shasta 40 
 
 Alameda 300 
 
 Monterey 100 
 
 San Mateo 40 
 
 Santa Clara 300 
 
 Santa Cruz 140 
 
 Sonoma 60 
 
 Sacramento 700 
 
 San Joaquin Valley (Fresno, Tulare, Stanislaus counties) 450 
 
 Los Angeles district (Los Angeles and Orange counties) 1,500 
 
 Imperial 125 
 
 According to statistics from the same source, the yield per acre in 
 1926 averaged as follows: 
 
 District Quarts per acre 
 
 Central coast district 5,600 
 
 Sacramento district 2,700 
 
 San Joaquin district 3,500 
 
 Imperial Valley 1,500 
 
 Los Angeles district 4,500 
 
 These yields are much higher on the average than yields in any 
 other strawberry-producing centers in the United States. The total 
 value of the crop for California for 1927 was given as $4,151,000, 
 which was about evenly divided between the northern and southern 
 sections of the state. 
 
1928] STRAWBERRY CULTURE IN CALIFORNIA 
 
 ESTIMATED COST OF STARTING A STRAWBERRY PLANTING 
 
 The cost of bringing an acre of strawberries into bearing is high. 
 Accurate costs are not available but estimates have been obtained from 
 a number of growers. Grading of the land must be done very care- 
 fully. This work often costs from $25.00 to $60.00 an acre, according 
 to the surface irregularities present. Wooden flumes for irrigating 
 cost in the neighborhood of $25.00. Concrete pipe costs much more, 
 but is not ordinarily installed for strawberries alone. If the straw- 
 berries are interplanted in an orchard, concrete pipe may be used for 
 irrigating, but in this case a part of the cost should be apportioned 
 to the orchard. Planting may cost from $60.00 to $80.00 an acre. 
 Ordinarily, 10,000 to 12,000 plants per acre are used, at a cost of 
 from $12.00 to $20.00 per thousand plants. To these items should be 
 added the cost of irrigation water, spraying or dusting for insect and 
 disease control, labor in irrigating and in hoeing, controlling spread 
 of runners, replanting, and removing weeds. One strawberry man 
 estimated that the cost of bringing a strawberry plantation into bear- 
 ing varies from $700.00 to $1,000.00 an acre. The orchard is often 
 rented to straAvberry growers who are able to secure the necessary 
 labor during the critical periods. 
 
 The second year is usually the most productive one during the 
 life of a strawberry planting. Sometimes a few crates or chests of 
 berries may be secured the first season after setting. A production 
 of 200 chests of 72 pounds each per acre is not unusual for the second 
 year, and much higher yields have been recorded. The third year 
 yields slightly less than the second, and the fourth sometimes pro- 
 duces about two-thirds as much as the third year. Four years is 
 about the average life of a strawberry planting. At the end of that 
 time, many bare spots are usually found, the planting is often foul 
 with weeds in spite of the careful hoeing, and the yield is much 
 reduced. When grown in an orchard the trees ordinarily are large 
 enough at three or four years of age to shade the berry plants and 
 compete with them for water. 
 
 Except in a few cases, strawberries are grown as an intercrop 
 in young orchards or vineyards, until the trees come into bearing 
 (fig. 1). Strawberries are admirably suited to this purpose, and many 
 orchards may be found where these berries were of material assistance 
 in helping to pay expenses while the trees were young. 
 
CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE 
 
 [CiRC. 21 
 
 LOCATIONS FOR STRAWBERRIES 
 
 Strawberries blossom and set fruit over a long period; hence an 
 occasional light spring frost, aside from reducing the yield of early 
 berries, may not be serious. As a rule, however, a region subject 
 to severe frosts during the blossoming season should be avoided. 
 Bottom lands or swales, into which cold air drains from the higher 
 
 P; 
 
 Fig. 1. — Two-year-old planting of strawberries grown as an intercrop in a 
 
 young vineyard. 
 
 surrounding elevation, are hazardous because of the danger of freez- 
 ing of the buds or flowers. The site should be chosen to allow the 
 heavy, cold air to drain away from the plantation to lower levels. 
 
 The aspect of the plantation may influence the season of ripening 
 to a considerable extent. A warm exposure may cause the fruit to 
 ripen several days or a week earlier than the same variety planted 
 a few hundred yards away on a site which faces in another direction. 
 Earliness is usually desirable, for the early fruits command the best 
 prices. 
 
1928] STRAWBERRY CULTURE IN CALIFORNIA 
 
 SOILS FOR STRAWBERRIES 
 
 Strawberries thrive on many types of soils. In California they 
 may be found growing on soils ranging* from the sands and sandy 
 loams to adobes. The care given a plantation seems to govern its 
 success more than does the type of soil upon which it is growing. 
 Because of the enormous amount of hand work necessary, plantings 
 on soils which are naturally mellow and friable are more desirable 
 from the labor standpoint than those on soils which are easily puddled 
 and which later form a hard crust on the surface. On the other hand, 
 the heavier kinds of soils usually contain a relatively larger amount 
 of available moisture after rain or irrigation, and the interval between 
 irrigations on this type of soil may be greater than on the sandy soils. 
 It is held by some growers that yields on the heavier types of soils 
 are somewhat greater than those on the lighter types. Some growers 
 prefer soils containing a moderate amount of organic matter, but 
 many successful plantings have been grown on soils nearly devoid of 
 this material. 
 
 Strawberries are generally grown on land that is nearly level, 
 because of convenience in irrigating. However, the necessity for 
 irrigating does not preclude sloping land from being used for straw- 
 berries. Excellent plantings may be found in some of the foothill 
 sections, where the prevailing slopes are fairly steep. In the latter 
 case, the plants may be set out on contours, or, if the soil does not 
 wash easily and the irrigation water may be controlled readily, the 
 rows are run in nearly any direction, without regard to the slope. 
 In a few sections where strawberries are grown without irrigation, 
 the rows usually are laid out with reference to the orchard rows 
 rather than to the slope. 
 
 Lack of drainage seldom gives much trouble except in those places 
 where there is standing water at or near the surface of the ground. 
 
 CLIMATE 
 
 Strawberries thrive in the cool central coast region, but are also 
 found growing thriftily in the warm interior valleys. The berries 
 ripen over a long period in the coastal sections, producing almost 
 continuously from April to November. In the interior valleys there 
 seems to be a tendency to produce a single crop in early summer, or 
 a large spring crop followed by a smaller one during the fall months. 
 More frequent irrigation may be necessary during the summer months 
 in the interior sections than in the cooler coastal regions. 
 
CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE [GiRC. 21 
 
 PROPAGATION OF STRAWBERRIES 
 
 Strawberries propagate by means of runners. During the grow- 
 ing season, established strawberry plants send out slender stems 8 to 
 16 inches long in all directions. Each alternate node, if in contact 
 with the ground, takes root and forms a new jDlant. The roots become 
 established in the ground, and later the slender stem connecting the 
 old plant and the young dies, leaving the new plants independent 
 and in turn ready to send out runners. These young jolants, before 
 they have produced fruit, are the most desirable ones for use in new 
 plantations. 
 
 The ease of gathering new plants should not lead to carelessness 
 in the matter of selecting the best stock available, and certain pre- 
 cautions should be observed in collecting new individuals from old 
 plantations. Plants from diseased or insect-infested areas should 
 be discarded, and only clean, healthy ones chosen. Carelessness in 
 the choice of plants often leads to the introduction of diseases and 
 insects into sections that may previously have been clean. Many 
 growers prefer to buy their new plants from men who make a 
 specialty of producing strawberry plants. These strawberry nurs- 
 eries are, for the most part, located in the foothills of the northern 
 counties. The plants are usually grown on virgin land, and the soil 
 is of such a friable nature that exceptionally strong and healthy root 
 systems are developed. As these nurseries are somewhat isolated, the 
 plants produced are usually free from injurious insect pests and 
 diseases. 
 
 PLANTING AND PLANTING DISTANCES 
 
 The preparation of the soil for the new berry plantations should 
 be as thorough as possible. On account of the shallowness of the 
 feeding roots of small fruits, the effort expended in preparing the 
 soil before planting will be repaid by the vigor and thrift of the 
 young plants. The soil should be plowed deeply in time to allow the 
 weeds and cover crops to decompose before the plants are set out, 
 and should be as fine and friable as frequent harrowings will make it. 
 A mellow soil, free from lumps, enables the young plants to become 
 established quickly and to survive the first year in greater numbers 
 than when the soil is carelessly prepared. 
 
 The method of planting strawberries depends upon the irrigation 
 practice in a given district. The necessity for frequent irrigation 
 
1928] 
 
 STRAWBERRY CULTURE IN CALIFORNIA 
 
 has led to the adoption of a number of cultural methods that will 
 be discussed briefly in the following paragraphs. As a rule, straw- 
 berries in California are grown in rows rather than in hills, and 
 greater acreages are grown in 'raised beds' (fig. 2) than in 'level 
 culture' (fig. 3). 
 
 Fig. 2. — Strawberries grown on raised beds. A wooden flume for irrigating 
 is shown in background. 
 
 Fig. 3. — One-year-old planting of strawberries grown under level culture. 
 
 The raised bed (fig. 2) differs from level culture in that the plants 
 are grown on a wide row slightly raised above the intervening spaces 
 which give room for irrigation, cultivation, and picking. The sunken 
 spaces in the raised-bed system are permanent during the continuation 
 
10 CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE [CiRC. 21 
 
 of the plantation, while the irrigation furrows in the level-culture sys- 
 tems are made for each irrigation or at the beginning of each season. 
 The width of the beds and the furrows varies greatly in different 
 sections. The common width of the raised bed and its adjacent 
 furrow is 4 to 5 feet, the bed itself occupying somewhat more than 
 half of this width. The beds are raised from 3 to 6 inches above the 
 furrows and are 200 to 300 feet long. The tendency with most 
 growers is to make the raised beds so wide that difficulty is experi- 
 enced in properly moistening the soil in the middle of the bed. 
 
 In sections where the beds are narrow, plants are set out in a 
 single row in the center of the bed from 8 or 10 inches to 24 inches 
 apart (fig. 2), according to the rate at which the new runners are pro- 
 duced and the number of plants available at the time of planting. 
 This type of planting requires from 10,000 to 25,000 plants per acre, 
 depending on the spacing of the plants and the width between the 
 rows. Runners or offsets are allowed to take root in the row itself but 
 not to spread laterally, the aim being to maintain the width of the row 
 at 10 or 12 inches. Runners spreading laterally are either cut off or 
 moved to the center of the row. 
 
 Where the beds are wider and the wide 'matted row,' as it is 
 called, is desired, the plants are set out about 12 to 18 inches apart in 
 a double row, the rows being 18 to 24 inches apart, and 3 to 4 inches 
 from the edge of the bed. From 12,000 to 15,000 plants to the acre 
 are required when this method is used. The plants are allowed to 
 spread toward the edge of the bed and toward the center, forming a 
 solid mat of plants. A variation of the matted-row system is to pro- 
 vide a rather narrow but deep furrow for irrigation, extending for 
 the full length of the row in the center of the bed (fig. 4). The hard- 
 pan, which is close to the surface in the districts where this system 
 is used, probably aids in the lateral movement of water and thus 
 irrigates the plants on either side of the furrow. The paths, in the 
 latter case, are not sunk below the beds, but maintained on the same 
 level. 
 
 When level culture is practiced, the plants are set out 10 to 14 or 
 16 inches apart in the row, and maintained as separate hills, or 
 allowed to form solid rows (fig. 1). Irrigation water is applied by 
 shallow furrows made, whenever needed, as close to the rows of plants 
 as possible. 
 
 The raised beds can be irrigated more conveniently than the level- 
 culture plantings, because the ditches are permanent and are not 
 destroyed by cultivation. Frequently, however, water is applied 
 without any attempt to cultivate, and the result is a hard-baked path 
 between the rows. 
 
1928] 
 
 STRAWBERRY CULTURE IN CALIFORNIA 
 
 11 
 
 Strawberries require greater care in planting than do most of the 
 small fruits. Only young plants with light-colored roots should be 
 used ; the older plants, having dark brown roots, should be discarded. 
 The plants must not be allowed to dry out during the planting oper- 
 ations, but should preferably be wrapped in wet burlap or kept in 
 pails of water. The outside whorl of leaves should be removed when 
 the plant is set out, leaving only one or two of the small center leaves. 
 The plant must be set firmly at the same depth at which it had been 
 growing. If set too high, or if the soil is not sufficiently firmed, the 
 
 Fig. 4. — The wide matted row system, with the deep ditch for irrigation 
 shown in the middle foreground. 
 
 young plants will dry out and die ; if set too low, so that the crown 
 is covered with moist soil, the plant quickly rots. Experienced grow- 
 ers, in making the raised beds, leave the centers slightly higher than 
 the edges. If the soil settles away from the crowns of the young 
 plants after a few weeks, this extra soil is moved up around the plants 
 with a hoe, leaving the plants set at the right depth and the entire 
 bed level. 
 
 Planting may best be done any time during November, December, 
 and January when the weather permits, although late spring planting 
 has also been successful. Plants set out in November are well estab- 
 lished by spring and often produce a considerable crop that year. 
 However, many growers make a practice of removing the first few 
 blossoms so that the young plant may become well established before 
 bearing. 
 
12 
 
 CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE 
 
 [CiRC. 21 
 
 IRRIGATION 
 
 Strawberries are comparatively shallow-rooted, and hence require 
 more frequent irrigation than tree fruits. The usual practice is to 
 irrigate every two or three weeks during the early part of the season, 
 and then at more frequent intervals during the hotter portion of the 
 growing period. Irrigation water is applied at weekly intervals dur- 
 ing the summer, and in case of particularly hot weather the water 
 
 Fig. 
 
 5. — On rolling land, tlie water is often distributed from hydrants on 
 the knolls. 
 
 may be put on every four or five days. During the late fall months, 
 sufficient water is applied at intervals, up to the time of the first rains, 
 to keep the plants growing thriftily. With strawberries, the practice 
 is to fill the shallow ditches between the rows up to the level of the 
 top of the raised bed upon which the plants are set. On steep grades, 
 small, temporary earth dams are thrown up across the ditch to give 
 the entire row a uniform wetting. The middle of the bed is supposed 
 
1928] 
 
 STRAWBERRY CULTURE IN CALIFORNIA 
 
 18 
 
 to be moistened by lateral percolation, but it is often doubtful if it 
 is moistened sufficiently when the row is very wide. Experience 
 indicates that the strawberry plant should never be allowed to suffer 
 from drought, even for short periods. 
 
 The usual practice with the matted row system is to irrigate several 
 rows at one time, depending upon the head of water available. In 
 this way the alternating ditches are slowly filled to the level of the 
 raised center portions. During the picking season, irrigation follows 
 
 Fig. 6. — A method of conducting water down steep slopes in strawberry fields. 
 
 rather than precedes a picking, so that the pickers may have a dry 
 surface to walk upon. In districts where the plants are grown under 
 the level culture system, with either a single furrow on one side or 
 two furrows, one on either side of the row, the practice is to allow a 
 small stream of water to run for a long period. In either system the 
 velocity of the water should not be great enough to wash the soil 
 from around the roots of the plants on the edge of the row. 
 
 Water^ is usually brought to the strawberry fields from the main 
 canal or pump by small ditches or wooden flumes. In Placer County, 
 
 3 Description of irrigation structures taken from : Hutchins. W. A. Irrigation 
 practice in growing small fruits in California. California Agr. Exp. Sta. Cir. 
 154:6-10. 1923. [Out of print.] 
 
14 
 
 CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE 
 
 [CiRC. 21 
 
 the water is usually brought to the high points by iron pipes and the 
 flow regulated by hydrants (fig. 5) and distributed in small furrows. 
 Where the grades are steep the water is often brought downhill in 
 simple wooden V-flumes, or by means of tile, as shown in figure 6. 
 Distribution of water depends ui)on the soil and upon the general 
 practice in each district. 
 
 Where earth laterals are used, the water is brought to the top of 
 the row through the ditch bank by means of small cuts, usually lined 
 with pieces of canvas or burlap, or by means of short pieces of iron 
 pipe through the bank. Experience soon demonstrates the amount 
 of fall and the size of openings that may be used with safety. 
 
 Fig. 7. — Typical irrigation flumes made of redwood. 
 
 Exp. Sta. Cir. 154.) 
 
 (From California Agr, 
 
 Wooden flumes are widely used (fig. 7). The main flumes are 
 usually 12 by 14 inches and are made of 1-inch redwood bo?„rds. The 
 lateral flumes are made of 1 by 8 inch lumber. The sides of the flumes 
 are braced by small cleats, nailed across the top 8 or 10 feet apart. 
 The joints are often sealed with tar or roofing paint and held together 
 with pieces of lath or car strips. A 3-inch hole is bored in the side of 
 the flume at the head of each row. When not in use, these holes are 
 filled with a wooden plug similar to the bung of a barrel. The grade 
 of the main flume is usually about 3.5 inches in 100 feet, and of the 
 laterals 1.0 to 2.5 inches in 100 feet. 
 
1928] STRAWBERRY CULTURE IN CALIFORNIA 15 
 
 METHODS OF CULTIVATION 
 
 The care of a strawberry plantation requires a great deal of hand 
 hoeing and weed pulling. Cultivation by horse-drawn implements is 
 shallow to prevent injury to the roots of the plants. In many cases, 
 under the matted-row system, a light cultivator or a one-horse sled 
 with iron teeth projecting into the soil is run in the furrows after 
 each cultivation during the early part of the season. This practice 
 tends to prevent weed growth between the raised beds. Later in the 
 season, when irrigations are so frequent that the soil does not dry 
 sufficiently between waterings to permit cultivation, the intervening 
 spaces often become hard and baked, particularly with the heavy 
 types of soils. Weeds can be removed from the beds only by careful 
 hoeing or by pulling by hand. This hand weeding, together with 
 keeping the edges of the beds true to grade, usually requires all the 
 time available between pickings. Frequently during the fourth year 
 of the planting, very little attention is paid to weed removal after the 
 first few cultivations in the spring. 
 
 CONTROL OF RUNNERS 
 
 After the strawberry plant is established and has been growing 
 for some time, it sends out runners which produce the new plants. 
 In the matted-row system, three or four runners are allowed to form 
 new plants the first year. These are grouped around the mother 
 plant and are not allowed to establish themselves in the irrigating 
 furrow. Other runners which may form are cut off. This system, in 
 effect, produces two more or less matted rows with a bare space along 
 the center of the raised bed. The following year, the runners are 
 allowed to spread until the whole bed is thickly set with plants. 
 During the fall and winter months, most of the old plants are removed, 
 allowing the younger ones to remain and fruit the following season. 
 In the single-row system, new runner plants are carefully placed in 
 the row and are not allowed to encroach upon the space between rows. 
 
16 
 
 CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE 
 
 [CiRC. 21 
 
 USE OF FERTILIZERS 
 
 Experimental data on the value of fertilizers for strav\^berries are 
 inclusive. The experience of grov^ers in California indicates that fer- 
 tilizers are unnecessary during the first year of the planting, except 
 possibly in some soils very deficient in plant food. It is a common 
 practice to apply materials like guano, pulverized sheep manure, 
 bone meal, and dried blood on the surface of the beds, to be w^orked 
 in v^ith the hoe during the early spring of the second or third years ; 
 but whether such treatment is beneficial has not been proved. 
 
 
 Fig. 8. — A convenient outfit for spraying strawberries. 
 
 DISEASES AND INSECTS 
 
 Strawberries are subject to attacks by many diseases and insect 
 pests, some of which are difficult to control. Until recent years, treat- 
 ment of most of these troubles consisted in removing diseased plants 
 and spraying with a fungicide during the dormant season. The devel- 
 opment of highly refined oil-emulsion sprays has aided in the control 
 of certain insect pests (fig. 8). While some oils and Bordeaux may 
 safely be used, sulfur should not be applied to strawberry plants dur- 
 ing the growing season. Some of the most serious diseases and insects 
 are decribed below. 
 
1928] STRAWBERRY CULTURE IN CALIFORNIA 17 
 
 Leaf -Spot (MycosphaercUa fragariac). — The disease known as 
 leaf-spot is generally recognized by the small dead spots with red 
 borders on the leaves. The old leaves should be removed in the fall 
 and burned, and the entire plantation sprayed with standard (5-5-50) 
 strength Bordeaux mixture just before active growth starts in the 
 spring. 
 
 Yellows or Xanthosis. — The yellows disease is prevalent in the 
 central coast district. It causes serious losses, but a specific remedy 
 is unknown. The new leaves are narrow and have yellow margins, 
 and the fruit is inferior and scarce. The infected plants live for a 
 considerable time. It is thought that this disease is carried from one 
 plant to another by aphids. As far as is known at present, the best 
 methods of avoiding the trouble seem to consist in securing healthy 
 plants, making new plantations as far from old diseased ones as pos- 
 sible, spraying to control aphids, and removing all plants that show 
 any signs of the trouble. 
 
 Fruit Rots. — Strawberries which are bruised or crushed in pick- 
 ing are, as a rule, quickly infected with one or more of the common 
 fungi that cause the fruit to rot. Once started in a basket, these rots 
 spread from the bruised berries to the sound fruit. Care in picking 
 and handling is the only remedy. Berries which rest upon wet soil 
 are often attacked by one or more of these rots. 
 
 Brown Blight. — Brown blight appears to be a fungous root rot. 
 The outer leaves wither, turn brown, and die. In severe cases the 
 plant, too, is killed. The disease seems to occur only in the spring. 
 The diseased plants should be removed, and new plants set in their 
 places. 
 
 Straivherry Aphis (Myzus fragaefolii). — Strawberry aphis, a 
 small, pale yellow plant louse, found chiefly on the under sides of 
 the leaves, may usually be controlled by dusting liberally with 5 per 
 cent nicotine dust applied to the under side of the leaf. Summer oil- 
 emulsion sprays for red spider also aid in controlling these aphids. 
 
 Strawherry Croivn Borer {Aegeria rutilans). — The strawberry 
 crown moth is a small, white caterpillar that destroys plants by boring 
 into the crown of the plant. The only known remedy is to remove and 
 burn the dead plants. 
 
 Straivherry Flea Beetle (Haltica ignita). — The strawberry flea 
 beetle is a small, bright green or purplish beetle, which feeds chiefly 
 on the leaves of the plant. It often seriously curtails the production 
 of some fields in their third and fourth seasons. Bordeaux mixture is 
 sometimes used as a repellant. 
 
18 CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE [CiRC. 21 
 
 Strawberry Root Worm (Paria canella). — The adult strawberry 
 leaf beetles, which are brown with black markings, feed on the leaves, 
 while the small, white larvae attack the roots. Infested plants should 
 be removed and burned. Infestations may be controlled by spraying 
 with arsenate of lead at the rate of 3 pounds of powder to 100 gallons 
 of water. The plants should not be sprayed with this poison if 
 berries are present. 
 
 Bed Spider, Tivo-Spoited Mite (Tetranychus telarius). — Of all the 
 pests attacking strawberries, red spider is one of the most serious. 
 It is very small in size, yellow in color when young, and produces a 
 web on the under side of the leaves. It can best be controlled by 
 spraying with a summer oil emulsion, applied to the under surface 
 of the leaves by means of a short rod with an upturned discharge. 
 Plants should not be allowed to suffer for water. 
 
 HARVESTING 
 
 The perishable nature of strawberries requires that this fruit be 
 handled very carefully. Picking should be done in such a manner 
 as to avoid bruising the fruit. The berries are picked with the calyx 
 and a short portion of the stem intact, and are placed directly into 
 the cups or baskets in which they are sold. When ^ faced' the fruit 
 should not be handled any more than is necessary. The cups or con- 
 tainers should fit snugly in the crates or chests to prevent shifting 
 during transportation. Although strawberries may be picked through- 
 out the day, many growers plan to have most of the picking done 
 during the early morning hours. Berries picked when wet are more 
 easily injured in handling and are more apt to rot in transit than 
 those picked dry. 
 
 Berries for long-distance shipment are picked when mature, but 
 firm in texture. For nearby markets the fruit may be somewhat riper 
 but not soft or mushy. The shipping standards for strawberries as 
 found in the California Fruit, Nut and Vegetable Standardization 
 Act of 1927, states that "Any strawberry which has not less than 
 two-thirds of the surface showing pink or red color shall be considered 
 mature. ' ' 
 
 The standard container for strawberries is a basket containing 
 one dry pint of approximately 33.6 cubic inches. These baskets are 
 marketed in larger containers of various sizes and descriptions. The 
 favorite container in the San Francisco Bay region is the chest which 
 
1928] 
 
 STRAWBERRY CULTURE IN CALIFORNIA 
 
 19 
 
 holds 16 drawers of six baskets each, or approximately 72 pounds of 
 fruit (fig. 9). In other districts, flat containers holding 12, 15, 20, 
 24, or 30 baskets are often used. 
 
 The standard practice for many years has been to market straw- 
 berries with the individual baskets 'faced.' Facing consists in filling 
 the top layer with berries of uniform size arranged in straight rows. 
 Formerly the berries in the bottom of the box were often small and 
 
 Fig. D.-CIk'sI with hinged side used in California for local shipments of 
 berries. Each draAver holds a slide containing six cups or baskets. 
 
 inferior. This practice is now unlawful, and the various counties 
 provide for inspection of strawberries in conformance with the 
 California Fruit, Nut, and Vegetable Standardization Act of 1927. 
 Recently, a portion of the strawberry crop has been marketed under 
 what is known as the 'jumble' pack, in which no facing is attempted. 
 The strawberry crop is marketed in various ways. It may be sold 
 direct to buyers, or handled through commission men or cooperative 
 associations. 
 
20 CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE [CiRC. 21 
 
 STATUS OF THE INDUSTRY 
 
 The growing of strawberries in California presents several unique 
 problems, which should be carefully considered by the prospective 
 strawberry producer. This industry often goes hand-in-hand with 
 the extension of orchard areas. It occupies the land while the trees 
 are young. Furthermore, the average life of a strawberry planta- 
 tion is about four years. New plantings seldom follow old ones on 
 the same land, probably because of the presence of pests, or perhaps 
 because of the condition of the soil subsequent to the cultural treat- 
 ments now used. Strawberry growers seem to prefer leasing land 
 rather than buying it. Centers of intensive strawberry culture are 
 thus somewhat migratory. 
 
 The production of strawberries, like that of other small fruits, 
 is subject to rather severe fluctuations in acreage in a given district. 
 New plantings are in full bearing the second year after planting. 
 Thus any nearby market may easily be over-supplied with this fruit 
 after a year or two of high prices. 
 
 During the past few years, the canning of strawberries on a com- 
 mercial scale in California has not been an outlet of great importance. 
 Local markets seem to be well supplied by the existing acreage, which 
 may readily be extended to care for increased consumption. Any 
 marked extension of the industry in the future would seem to rest 
 upon the use of these berries by barreling or preserving by some other 
 means, and upon eastern shipments. Shipping to distant markets 
 under refrigeration is one of the possible outlets, provided the berries 
 are grown in sufficient quantities in a given district so that they 
 mav be marketed in carloads. 
 
 VARIETIES 
 
 The following is a brief description of some of the principal 
 varieties now being grown in California : 
 
 Marshall: Plant vigorous, healthy, spreading, and a good producer 
 of new plants. Flower perfect. Foliage large, with coarse serrations. 
 Fruit medium to large ; roundish conic in shape ; dark red, flesh some- 
 what lighter in color; firm; seeds somewhat depressed. An old 
 standard in many sections. 
 
1928] STRAWBERRY CULTURE IN CALIFORNIA 21 
 
 Gold Dollar: Plant medium in size and vigor, erect, a good plant 
 maker. Flower perfect. Fruit rather elongated conic ; dark red, flesh 
 somewhat lighter in color; firm. Ripens early and produces over a 
 fairly long season. Grown in Florin and Newcastle sections. A good 
 shipper. 
 
 Malinda: Plant inclined to be small; a fair plant maker. Flower 
 perfect. Fruit small; conic; flesh dark red; firm with a firm core. 
 Grown, with others, in Pajaro Valley. 
 
 Oregon (Oregon Plum) : Plant medium in size, vigorous, erect, 
 prolific plant maker, and a heavy producer. Flower perfect. Fruit 
 medium to large ; broad conic ; dark, glossy red ; flesh medium red ; 
 inclined to be soft. Ships well to nearby markets. Popular in the 
 Pajaro and Santa Clara valleys and in the Florin section. Ripens 
 early. 
 
 Klondike: Plant vigorous and a fairly good plant maker; fair 
 producer. Flower perfect. Fruit fair-sized ; roundish-conic ; dark red 
 in color; firm, and a good shipper. Grown with others in the section 
 around Los Angeles. 
 
 Nick Ohmer: Medium in size and vigor; fair producer and plant 
 maker. Flower perfect. Fruit medium to large in size; roundish 
 conic ; somewhat soft in texture ; sub-acid flavor. Grown in districts 
 adjacent to San Francisco. 
 
 Excelsior: Plant vigorous, a fair producer, and a good plant maker. 
 Flower perfect. Fruit medium in size ; conic, firm ; sharply acid in 
 flavor. Season, early. Grown in Los Angeles district. 
 
 Banner: Plant vigorous, upright, a good plant maker; exception- 
 ally heavy producer. Flower perfect. Fruit large, roundish conic; 
 seeds depressed. Color dark red, becoming almost purple when ripe. 
 Leading variety in the central coast district. 
 
STATION PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE FOR FEEE DISTRIBUTION 
 
 BULLETINS 
 
 No. No. 
 
 253. Irrigation and Soil Conditions in the 389. 
 
 Sierra Nevada Foothills, California. 390. 
 
 262. Citrus Diseases of Florida and Cuba 
 
 Compared with those of California. 391. 
 
 263. Size Grades for Ripe Olives. 
 
 268. Growing and Grafting Olive Seedlings. 392. 
 
 277. Sudan Grass. 393. 
 
 278. Grain Sorghums. 394. 
 
 279. Irrigation of Rice in California. 
 283. The Olive Insects of California. 
 
 304. A Study of the Effects of Freezes on 395. 
 
 Citrus in California. 
 
 310. Plum Pollination. 396. 
 
 313. Pruning Young Deciduous Fruit 
 
 Trees. 397. 
 
 324. Storage of Perishable Fruits at Freez- 
 ing Temperatures. 398. 
 
 328. Prune Growing in California. 400. 
 
 331. Phylloxera-resistant Stocks. 402. 
 
 335. Cocoanut Meal as a Feed for Dairy 404. 
 
 Cows and Other Livestock. 405. 
 
 340. Control of the Pocket Gopher in 406. 
 
 California, 407. 
 
 343. Cheese Pests and Their Control. 
 
 344. Cold Storage as an Aid to the Mar- 
 
 keting of Plums, a Progress Report. 408. 
 
 347. The Control of Red Spiders in Decid- 409. 
 
 uous Orchards. 
 
 348. Pruning Young Olive Trees. 
 
 349. A Study of Sidedraft and Tractor 
 
 Hitches. 410. 
 
 350. Agriculture in Cut-Over Redwood 
 
 Lands. 
 
 353. Bovine Infectious Abortion, and As- 411. 
 
 sociated Diseases of Cattle and New- 
 born Calves. .412. 
 
 354. Results of Rice Experiments in 1922. 
 
 357. A Self-Mixing Dusting Machine for 
 
 Applying Dry Insecticides and Pun- 414. 
 
 gicides. 
 
 358. Black Measles, Water Berries, and 415. 
 
 Related Vine Troubles. 416. 
 
 361. Preliminary Yield Tables for Second- 
 
 Growth Redwood. 417. 
 
 362. Dust and the Tractor Engine. 
 
 363. The Pruning of Citrus Trees in Cali- 418. 
 
 fornia. 
 
 364. Fungicidal Dusts for the Control of 419, 
 
 Bunt. 
 
 366, Turkish Tobacco Culture, Curing, 420, 
 
 and Marketing, 
 
 367, Methods of Harvesting and Irrigation 421. 
 
 in Relation to Moldy Walnuts. 422, 
 
 368, Bacterial Decomposition of Olives 
 
 During Pickling, 423. 
 
 369, Comparison of Woods for Butter 
 
 Boxes, 424, 
 
 370, Factors Influencing the Development 
 
 of Internal Browning of the Yellow 425, 
 
 Newton Apple, 426, 
 
 371, The Relative Cost of Yarding Small 
 
 and Large Timber. 427, 
 
 373. Pear Pollination, 
 
 374. A Survey of Orchard Practices in 428, 
 
 the Citrus Industry of Southern 
 California, 
 
 375. Results of Rice Experiments at Cor- 429. 
 
 tena, 1923, and Progress in Experi- 430, 
 
 ments in Water Grass Control at the 431, 
 
 Biggs Rice Field Station, 1922-23. 
 377, The Cold Storage of Pears. 432 
 
 380. Growth of Eucalyptus in Galifornia 
 
 Plantations. 433, 
 
 382. Pumping for Draininge in the San 
 
 Joaquin Valley, California. 434 
 
 385. Pollination of the Sweet Cherry. 
 
 386. Pruning Bearing Deciduous Fruit 435 
 
 Trees. 
 
 387. Fig Smut. 
 
 388. The Principles and Practice of Sun- 
 
 Drying Fruit. 
 
 Berseem or Egyptian Clover. 
 Harvesting and Packing Grapes in 
 
 California. 
 Machines for Coating Seed Wheat 
 
 with Copper Carbonate Dust. 
 Fruit Juice Concentrates. 
 Crop Sequences at Davis. 
 I. Cereal Hay Production in Cali- 
 fornia. II, Feeding Trials with 
 Cereal Hays, 
 
 Bark Diseases of Citrus Trees in Cali- 
 fornia. 
 
 The Mat Bean, Phaseolus Aconitifo- 
 
 lius. 
 Manufacture of Roquefort Type Cheese 
 from Goat's Milk. 
 
 Orchard Heating in California. 
 
 The Utilization of Surplus Plums. 
 
 The Codling Moth in Walnuts. 
 
 The Dehydration of Prunes. 
 
 Citrus Culture in Central California. 
 
 Stationary Spray Plants in California. 
 
 Yield, Stand, and Volume Tables for 
 White Fir in the California Pine 
 Region, 
 
 Alternaria Rot of Lemons, 
 
 The Digestibility of Certain Fruit By- 
 products as Determined for Rumi- 
 nants. Part I, Dried Orange Pulp 
 and Raisin Pulp, 
 
 Factors Influencing the Quality of 
 Fresh Asparagus after it is Har- 
 vested, 
 
 Paradichlorobenzene as a Soil Fumi- 
 gant, 
 
 A Study of the Relative Value of Cer- 
 tain Root Crops and Salmon Oil as 
 Sources of Vitamin A for Poultry, 
 
 Planting and Thinning Distances for 
 Deciduous Fruit Trees. 
 
 The Tractor on California Farms. 
 
 Culture of the Oriental Persimmon in 
 California. 
 
 Poultry Feeding: Principles and Prac- 
 tice. 
 
 A Study of Various Rations for Fin- 
 ishing Range Calves as Baby Beeves. 
 
 Economic Aspects of the Cantaloupe 
 Industry, 
 
 Rice and Rice By-Products as Feeds 
 for Fattening Swine. 
 
 Beef Cattle Feeding Trials, 1921-24. 
 
 Cost of Producing Almonds in Cali- 
 fornia : a Progress Report. 
 
 Apricots (Series on California Crops 
 and Prices). 
 
 The Relation of Rate of Maturity to 
 Egg Production. 
 
 Apple Growing in California. 
 
 Apple Pollination Studies in 
 fornia. 
 
 The Value of Orange Pulp for Milk 
 Production. 
 
 The Relation of Maturity of 
 fornia Plums to Shipping 
 Dessert Quality. 
 
 Economic Status of the Grape Industry. 
 
 Range Grasses of California. 
 
 Raisin By-Products and Bean Screen- 
 ings as Feeds for Fattening Lambs. 
 
 Some Economic Problems Involved in 
 the Pooling of Fruit. 
 
 Power Requirements of Electrically 
 Driven Manufacturing Equipment. 
 
 Investigations on the Use of Fruits in 
 Ice Cream and Ices. 
 
 The Problem of Securing Closer 
 Relationship Between Agricultural 
 Development and Irrigation Con- 
 struction. 
 
 Cali 
 
 Cali- 
 and 
 
No. 
 436. 
 
 437. 
 
 438. 
 
 439. 
 
 440. 
 
 441. 
 442. 
 443. 
 
 No. 
 
 87. 
 117. 
 
 127. 
 129. 
 136. 
 
 144. 
 
 157. 
 164. 
 166. 
 178. 
 202. 
 
 203. 
 209. 
 212. 
 215. 
 230. 
 
 231. 
 232. 
 
 234. 
 
 238. 
 239. 
 
 240. 
 
 241. 
 
 243. 
 
 244. 
 245. 
 248. 
 
 249. 
 250. 
 
 252. 
 253. 
 255. 
 
 257. 
 
 258. 
 259. 
 261. 
 
 BULLETINS— 
 
 I. The Kadota Fig. II. Kadota Fig 
 Products. 
 
 Economic Aspects of the Dairy In- 
 dustry. 
 
 Grafting Affinities with Special Refer- 
 ence to Plums. 
 
 The Digestibility of Certain Fruit By- 
 products as Determined for Rumi- 
 nants. Part II. Dried Pineapple 
 Pulp, Dried Lemon Pulp, and Dried 
 Olive Pulp. 
 
 The Feeding Value of Raisins and 
 Dairy By-Products for Growing and 
 Fattening Swine. 
 
 The Electric Brooder. 
 
 Laboratory Tests of Orchard Heaters. 
 
 Standardization and Improvement of 
 California Butter. 
 
 Series on California Crops and Prices: 
 Beans. 
 
 (Continued) 
 No. 
 
 445. Economic Aspects of the Apple In- 
 
 dustry. 
 
 446. The Asparagus Industry in California. 
 
 447. The Method of Determining the Clean 
 
 "Weights of Individual Fleeces of 
 Wool. 
 
 448. Farmers' Purchase Agreement for 
 
 Deep Well Pumps. 
 
 449. Economic Aspects of the Watermelon 
 
 Industry. 
 
 450. Irrigation Investigations with Field 
 
 Crops at Davis, and at Delhi, Cali- 
 fornia. 
 
 Studies Preliminary to the Establish- 
 ment of a Series of Fertilizer Trials 
 in a Bearing Citrus Grove. 
 
 Economic Aspects of the Pear In- 
 dustry. 
 
 451. 
 
 452. 
 
 Alfalfa. 
 
 The selection and Cost of a Small 
 
 Pumping Plant. 
 House Fumigation. 
 The control of Citrus Insects. 
 Melilotus Indica as a Green-Manure 
 
 Crop for California. 
 Oidium or Powdery Mildew of the 
 
 Vine. 
 Control of Pear Scab. 
 Small Fruit Culture in California. 
 The County Farm Bureau. 
 The Packing of Apples in California. 
 County Organization for Rural Fire 
 
 Control. 
 Peat as a Manure Substitute. 
 The Function of the Farm Bureau. 
 Salvaging Rain-Damaged Prunes. 
 Feeding Dairy Cows in California. 
 Testing Milk, Cream, and Skim Milk 
 
 for Butterfat. 
 The Home Vineyard. 
 Harvesting and Handling California 
 
 Cherries for Eastern Shipment. 
 Winter Injury to Young Walnut 
 
 Trees During 1921-1922. 
 The Apricot in California. 
 Harvesting and Handling Apricots 
 
 and Plums for Eastern Shipment. 
 Harvesting and Handling California 
 
 Pears for Eastern Shipment. 
 Harvesting and Handling California 
 
 Peaches for Eastern Shipment. 
 Marmalade Juice and Jelly Juice 
 
 from Citrus Fruits. 
 Central Wire Bracing for Fruit Trees. 
 Vine Pruning Systems. 
 Some Common Errors in Vine Prun- 
 ing and Their Remedies. 
 Replacing Missing Vines. 
 Measurement of Irrigation Water on 
 
 the Farm. 
 Support for Vines. 
 Vineyard Plans. 
 
 Leguminous Plants as Organic Fer- 
 tilizers in California Agriculture. 
 The Small-Seeded Horse Bean (Vicia 
 
 faba var. minor). 
 Thinning Deciduous Fruits. 
 Pear By-Products. 
 Sewing Grain Sacks. 
 
 CIRCULARS 
 No. 
 265. 
 266. 
 
 267. 
 
 269. 
 270. 
 273. 
 276. 
 
 277. 
 
 278. 
 279. 
 281. 
 
 282. 
 
 284. 
 286. 
 287. 
 288. 
 289. 
 290. 
 292. 
 293. 
 294. 
 296. 
 
 298. 
 
 300. 
 301. 
 302. 
 304. 
 305. 
 307. 
 308. 
 309. 
 310. 
 
 311. 
 312. 
 
 Plant Disease and Pest Control. 
 
 Analyzing the Citrus Orchard by 
 Means of Simple Tree Records. 
 
 The Tendency of Tractors to Rise in 
 Front; Causes and Remedies. 
 
 An Orchard Brush Burner. 
 
 A Farm Septic Tank. 
 
 Saving the Gophered Citrus Tree. 
 
 Home Canning. 
 
 Head, Cane and Cordon Pruning of 
 Vines. 
 
 Olive Pickling in Mediterranean 
 Countries. 
 
 The Preparation and Refining of 
 Olive Oil in Southern Europe. 
 
 The Results of a Survey to Deter- 
 mine the Cost of Producing Beef in 
 California. 
 
 Prevention of Insect Attack on Stored 
 Grain. 
 
 The Almond in California. 
 
 Milk Houses for California Dairies. 
 
 Potato Production in California. 
 
 Phylloxera Resistant Vineyards. 
 
 Oak Fungus in Orchard Trees. 
 
 The Tangier Pea. 
 
 Alkali Soils. 
 
 The Basis of Grape Standardization. 
 
 Propagation of Deciduous Fruits. 
 
 Control of the California Ground 
 Squirrel. 
 
 Possibilities and Limitations of Coop- 
 erative Marketing. 
 
 Coccidiosis of Chickens. 
 
 Buckeye Poisoning of the Honey Bee. 
 
 The Sugar Beet in California. 
 
 Drainage on the Farm. 
 
 Liming the Soil. 
 
 American Foulbrood and Its Control. 
 
 Cantaloupe Production in California. 
 
 Fruit Tree and Orchard Judging. 
 
 The Operation of the Bacteriological 
 Laboratory for Dairy Plants. 
 
 The Improvement of Quality in Figs. 
 
 Principles Governing the Choice, Op- 
 eration and Care of Small Irrigation 
 Pumping Plants. 
 
 The publications listed above may be had by addressing 
 
 College of Agriculture, 
 
 University of California, 
 
 Berkeley, California. 
 
 12m-12,'28