14 The Bulletin. 



MULCHING. 



The mulching of strawberries, in the South, is considered by some to 

 be an unnecessary and expensive operation. By others it is looked 

 upon as a necessary part of the work in the production of a profitable 

 crop. There is no doubt that there are several good reasons why mulch- 

 ing can be practiced to good advantage. The primary object in apply- 

 ing a mulch to strawberries is to protect the plants from winter or 

 spring injury. Besides affording protection to the plants, mulching 

 aids in the conservation of moisture in the soil by hindering evapora- 

 tion, retains the surface soil in a loose, friable condition, and in some 

 instances adds plant food to the land. This is particularly true where 

 stable manure has been applied as a mulch. Mulching also aids in 

 cultivation by checking the growth of weeds. In some sections hay or 

 straw are used for mulching, in other places dead weeds, vines, or leaves 

 are used. In the eastern part of the State pine straw affords excellent 

 material for this purpose. See Fig. 3. When the mulching material is 

 left between the rows and around the plants, after having been raked 

 off of the plants in the spring, it keeps the fruit away from the ground 

 and prevents it from becoming sanded during heavy rains that may 

 come while the berries are ripening. Of the several advantages derived 

 from mulching, this last named is a very important one. No one cares 

 for "gritty" berries, and when fruit of this kind is offered for sale, be 

 it at home or on the distant markets, it is disposed of at a discount that 

 often proves to be a loss to the producer. There is never a demand for 



gritty fruit at any price. 



PICKING. 



Frequently too little attention is paid to the picking of the straw- 

 berry crop. Often the financial success of the grower depends upon 

 this one operation. The state of maturity at which strawberries can 

 best be picked depends upon the market for which they are intended. 

 Berries for the home or near-by market can be gathered in a much 

 riper condition than fruit intended for shipping long distances. For 

 distant markets, strawberries must be gathered as soon as fully grown 

 and the color well developed. It would be impossible to give exact 

 rules for determining the best time to harvest any variety. This can 

 best be learned by personal experience, guided by the ripening habit 

 of the varieties grown. Some varieties begin to soften before they have 

 taken on much color, while other varieties remain quite firm after hav- 

 ing become fully colored. 



Strawberries should always be picked with steins on. Fruit that is 

 "snapped" from the plants will not stand long transportation. As berries 

 are gathered they are placed in quart baskets or boxes and carried to 

 the packing shed on trays holding usually from 10 to 12 quarts. Some 

 growers provide special help for carrying the fruit from the field to 

 the packing shed as soon as it is gathered, as illustrated in Fig. 4. This 



