604: BOARD OF AGKICDLTUKE. 



Prof. Latta: I do not think it is a question or late cultivation. 



Mr. Lodewicli: I tliinli that last winter was a very severe winter. 

 Jt was with us, I know. As to late cultivation, cultivate just as long as 

 possible right up in the fall, and as soon as we finish cultivating we cover 

 them with straw. 



Prof. Latta: Before it freezes? 



Mr. Lodewick: Yes, sir; before it freezes. You can cover them with- 

 out much injury to the ground. 



Prof. Latta: Do you have compact claj'? 



Mr. Lodewick: Some of it is. We have a little high ground. I cer- 

 tainly approve of late cultivation. Last season was an exception. 



Mr. Henry: I am surprised at the statements as to winter kill. We 

 grow strawberries all over the northern part, and there is scarcely a 

 winter when we are not troubled with this in some plants. If you lose 

 some it usually means the loss of considerable in a large patch, so we 

 take extra care. The reason that we cover our plants is that it protects 

 them from winter kill. We had considerable loss in our patch on this 

 account until I took very stringent means to iJvevent it. 



Prof. Latta: How many are covering their crops in this part of the 

 State? We would like to have a word on this. 



Mr. DeVilbiss: The reason I covered my patch was because I was 

 looking over my fence and my neighbor covered his, and had excellent 

 results, so I covered mine. From the thousand plants that he planted 

 he sold $22 worth of berries, ,and kept plents' for a large family besides. 

 I tried to buy straw that had no timothy in it, but it couldn't be found. 

 I hardly know what to think of this cultivation. No man would go into 

 his orchard to cultivate it in this way. I believe this is the reason they 

 are having trouble. 



Prof. Latta: Orchards and strawberries are different things. 



Mr. Swaim: Strawberries need a great deal of rain, and they get it 

 all winter, for after this time of year we are very apt to have an abund- 

 ance of moisture in the soil, for there is plenty of rain. And 

 whether we cultivate or not they will go on and make runners and they 

 will keep on until freezing weathei', so 1 don't believe under conditions 

 here that it is wrong to cultivate late. We keep the weeds out then we 

 want a covering for the crop of some kind.. I am very much interested 

 in this question. 



Mr. Kimball: My experience with winter killing is this. The plants 

 will heave, and in some cases, even when you have mulched heavily, and 



