INDIANA HOKTICULTUKAL SOCIETY. 597 



I want to emphasize the necessity of cultivating often and thoroughly 

 before the weeds show up. And I have learned a lesson this summer, 

 which I have known before, but it has been most thoroughly impressed 

 on my mind, and that is that by thorough and frequent cultivation when 

 it is diy, you can keep the moisture in the ground. When you go out 

 in the patch of a morning you can see by your foot tracks that there is 

 moisture there, and when you kick the dust away you can see the moist 

 dirt 



Prof. Latta: By frequent cultivation in a dry time do you mean once 

 a week or oftener? 



Mr. Grossman: Oftener would be better, but once a week if you 

 have good, fine mulch will probably answer the purpose. I believe this 

 is all I have to pav. 



Prof. Latta: We would like to hear from any one who has anything 

 to add to this important snbi>ct- • 



Mr. DeVllbiss: I would like to ask what you use to mulch your 

 berries ? 



Mr. Grossman: I use rye straw or wheat straw. 



Mr. DeVilbiss: Can you get the straw without the timothy seed 

 in it? 



Mr. Grossman: No, I have trouble with the timothy seed, but that 

 is the best I can do so I have to take it. I prefer the rye straw. 



Mr. DeVilbiss: Why do you prefer the rye straw V 



Mr. Grossman: It is better, cleaner, tougher, and will hold better 

 through the picking season when the pickers are working, when the wheat 

 straw will rot and get very short. The rye straw will stay cleaner, and 

 will keep its length, and it is nicer for the pickers to work on. 



Mr. DeVilbiss: Do you consider it a detriment for the wheat straw 

 to break up and firp<" fnp? , 



Mr. Grossman: No, but it does not mulch the berries as well when it 

 breaks up. The berries keep cleaner than they will with wheat straw that 

 is all broken up. 



Mrs. DeVilbiss: What kind of instrument do you use to cultivate 

 your plants? 



Mr. Grossman: I have been using a Planet Junior. But I prefer for 

 the first cultivation a five tooth cultivator, and cultivate it deep before the 

 roots begin leading out. The fine teeth will smooth it down. While I 



