312 Appendix. 



maintaining a low soil temperature longer than in soil not mulched ; it acts 

 as a conserver of moisture, discourages weed growth by smothering the young 

 seedling, and finally protects the fruit from contact with the soil. 



MATERIALS FOE MULCH. 



The materials which can be used in mulching are various, but their value 

 depends largely upon their freedom from weed seeds and their fitness to protect 

 the plants without smothering them. Whole or cut straw free from graiijs, 

 strawy manure from the horse stable, and pine straw from the forest are among 

 the more common mulching materials. In certain sections marsh hay, either 

 from fresh or salt water marshes, is a common and very satisfactory mulching 

 material. 



WHEN TO APPLY THE MULCH. 



At the North where the soil is likely to freeze and thaw several times in 

 the course of the winter, it is the practice to put on the mulch as soon as the 

 ground is sufiiciently frozen to allow driving upon it with a loaded cart or 

 wagon. Where the freezing of the soil is only superficial or only temporary, 

 if at all, the mulch serves the purpose of a protection from wind more than 

 from frost, and in such sections the mulch is put on as soon as active growth 

 ceases, usually early in December, and is allowed to remain until after the crop 

 is harvested. 



Some growers remove the mulch early and give the plants thorough culti- 

 vation before the fruits are half grown then if it seems desirable to protect the 

 fruits from the earth the mulch is replaced for this purpose. 



In other localities where heavy snows are of annual occurrence, and where 

 they remain throughout the winter, thus affording protection from repeated freez- 

 ing and thawing, as well as preventing deep freezing of the soil, mulching is 

 not generally practiced ; if practiced at all a light mulch only can be used, as a 

 heavy covering is likely to cause loss by smothering the plants. 



HARVESTING AND SHIPPING. 



The time of gathering the fruit, as well as the manner of handling, is gov- 

 erned by the use to which it is to be pilt. If for a local market, much riper 

 fruits can be handled than when when they are to be shipped long distances. 



The most progressive growers of strawberries for local markets not only give 

 particular attention to the ripeness of the fruit, but to assorting and grading as 

 well, only large perfect berries being placed in the first grade, and all small or 

 soiled fruits in the second. 



SHIPMENT TO DISTANT MAKKETS. 



For a distant market the fruits must be gathered as soon as fully grown 

 and colored. When the fruits are removed from the plants they should go either 

 into cooled shipping cases or into a cool storeroom where the temperature Can be 

 maintained at about 50 degrees Fahrenheit. If this is impracticable, they 

 should be placed in the shade in as cool a situation as possible. Fruits to be 

 shipped in refrigerator boxes, such as are used by the Southern growers (Florida 

 growers in particular), can be placed in the chilled carriers as soon as they 

 have stood in the shade for a half hour. Such hardening off or chilling has much 

 the same effect on soft fruits of this nature as it has upon flowers ; it checks the 

 ripening process and, while it does not entirely stop it, the effect is to deliver 

 the fruits at the end of their journey in much beter condition than when not so 

 chilled. In this, as in all work of like nature, careful judgment is necessary. 

 Too much cold is as bad as too little ; in any case the chilling and icing should be 

 considered merely as a means to an end. Experience has demonstrated that it 

 is not advisable to attempt to hold soft fruits for any length of time in cold 

 storage. Theicing or shipping in refrigerator carriers allows the grower to bring 



