THE FARMERS STRAWBERRY BED. I23 



About the middle of December cover the entire bed with 

 coarse, dry straw to the depth of about five inches to prevent 

 alternate thawing and freezing, and leave this covering on in the 

 spring until all danger of heavy freezing is over. Then uncover 

 and leave as much of this straw between the rows as will not 



M. R. Cashinan, Owatonna. 



interfere with the growing of the plants. The straw left between 

 the rows acts as a mulch and keeps the ground moist and allows 

 no weeds to grow; it also provides a good dry place for the 

 pickers to walk on and prevents the washing away of the soil 

 during heavy rains. 



The second summer the bed requires no cultivation up to the 

 crop-picking time, and all there is to do then is to harvest the 

 berries. After this is done take your m.ower and mow off all the 

 plants close to the ground, rake off the tops and go on the bed 

 with the harrow. If the bed is quite free from weeds it needs 

 not be harrowed a great deal, but the cultivation between the 

 rows should be renewed and the row narrowed down to about 

 ten inches in width. Soon the plants begin to come up again and 

 will runner out and cover the newly cultivated ground. Keep 

 them in rows just the same as the first year, and it will not take 

 long for your bed to be in good shape for the next season. 



