Does Mulching Rbtakd the Matdkity of Feuits? 257 



W. TT. JTilborn, Leamington, Ontario, retards his crop from three 

 days to a week. 



I have had about eighteen years' experience iu mulching strawberries 

 and I find that it does retard them a few days. I mulch several acres 

 every year and would not grow them without. I put on the covering 

 in the fall as soon as the ground freezes about two inches deep, and 

 place most of the covering (which is usually wheat or rye straw) 

 between the rows of plants, putting just enough over the plants to 

 nearly cover them from sight. 



In eai'ly spring, as soon as growth begins, I rake the straw from the 

 plants and leave it between the rows. If the straw is left on the plants 

 for a time after they begin to grow, it causes a soft, weakly growth of 

 plant that will not produce fruit, 



I do not believe they can be retarded more than three days to a week, 

 according to the weather. If they remain covered with snow, as they 

 do in some sections, until near the time growth begins, the covering 

 will retard growth longer. I consider it unsafe to try to retard growth 

 by leaving the covering on immediately over the plants after growth 

 begins. 



W. W. HiLBORN. 



James Edgerton, Barnesville, 0., learned too much. 



I have had experience to my sorrow. I always comrae :ced picking 

 strawberries in advance of my neighbors till the past season when I 

 came in about three days behind, and know of no cause but that ray 

 boys insisted on putting on straw to an extra depth last fall so that 

 they could burn the bed over after harvest. A five days' delay in get- 

 ting our fruit into Chicago makes a sad difference in our receipts, as 

 Michigan comes on quickly and drives us out. 



James Edgerton. 



T. B. Terry, Hudson, 0., delays his strawberries a week. 



I have retarded blooming-time of strawberries several times about a 

 week, by very heavy mulching in winter when ground was frozen 

 hard. The ground must be deeply frozen and mulch enough to keep 

 it so some days longer than usual. I mulch ray seed-potato pit when 

 deeply frozen to keep in frost and delay sprouting, in same way. 



I think I have retarded bloom as much as ten days on strawberries, 

 but they hurry up a little after they get started, so that about a week 

 is all the gain we ever get in the way of lengthening the season. I 



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