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