258 Agbioultural Expsktmen^t Station, Ithaca, N. Y. 



have tried it on raspbei-ries, grapes, etc., and it does not work at all. 

 It did not delay them a particle, the vines being out in the sun and 

 warm air. 



T. B. Terey. 



Mattheio Crawford, Cuyahoga lolls, O., discourages the practice. 



I have had some experience in mulching strawberries to retard their 

 blooming and ripening, but am not well pleased' with the results. My 

 impression is that, although growth may be retarded somewhat early 

 in the season, it nearly makes up for lost time before the fruit ripens. 

 If the mulch is left on until after growth starts, and is then removed 

 from over the plants, the blanched growth is easily destroyed by a 

 light freeze. 



If the mulch is left between the plants until they are in bloom, a frost 

 is far more destructive than it is when the ground is bare. From all 

 that I haA^e seen, I have but little faith in mulching to retard the ripen- 

 ing of the strawberry. 



M. Crawford. 



11. M. Kellogg, Ionia, Mich., delays his berries two weeks. 



I have practiced mulching for the purpose of retarding the ripening 

 of strawberries for several years with gratifying results. My plan is 

 as follows: Select a north incline so as to avoid the direct rays of the 

 sun ; choose the latest variety and delay the mulching until midwinter 

 when the ground is frozen as deeply as possible. Then between the 

 rows put a heavy coat of coarse manure, treading it down as compactly 

 as possible. Care must be taken not to let the manure lie directly on 

 the plants as it will greatly injure or kill them. Immediately on the 

 plants put a coating of chaff, not thick enough to cover the crowns 

 deeply, finishing with a coat of clean straw which may be put on six or 

 eight inches thick, without injuring the plants. This is permitted to 

 remain until fruit of other plants is almost full grown. Growth will 

 sometimes start and foliage be bleached considerably but no injury 

 will result until blossoms are well developed, when enough straw is 

 raked off to see the plants, so they can push up through it. I have 

 often found the ground frozen quite hard after other plants were in 

 full bloom. 



I have not only raised some of my largest crops in this way, but the 

 latest pickings were more than two weeks after berries of the same 

 variety not so treated were all gone. 



R. M. Kellogg. 



