STRAWBERRIES WITH THE LEAST LABOR. 381 



of straw, do just as Mr. Greg^ does. He is doing the best of 

 anybody in the state. I consider his method the safest, the 

 easiest and surest for getting a crop of strawberries of anything 

 I can find. The reason I spoke of slough hay is this; I know 

 that slough hay can be used without smothering the plants, and 

 I know there are thousands of farmers who are going to plant 

 and who have planted, but who have got no straw, nothing but 

 slough hay, and I know that that can be used and used safely. 

 I know for every farmer who has the straw as Mr. Gregg has, 

 the method suggested by him is the very best that has ever 

 been produced. 



Mr. Dewain Cook: I live in the western part of the state, 

 where we have plenty of straw and slough hay. I use slough 

 hay, and I have never lost anything by smothering. I look at 

 the matter mostly in the light of economy in work. We need 

 considerable protection for strawberries, and the matter of a 

 foot or two feet between the rows does not count much when 

 grown for home use, but when grown for market I think it is 

 better to set the strawberries in a sheltered locality, and then 

 a light mulching will be sufficient. I also agree that the mulch- 

 ing will hold them back in the spring; but there is no necessity 

 for mulching after the first winter, and I think, especially in 

 some years, if you let the old beds go without mulching you will 

 find the weeds sufficient for that purpose. 



Mr, Gregg: Let me state the case from the farmer's stand- 

 point. I keep careful track of the work that is done; that is 

 the big expense account. I put this straw on the bed when 

 other labor is not "pressing. We are taking care of our stock 

 now. My man just wrote me that they would mulch the straw- 

 berry bed pretty quick now, as they could do it between the 

 chores. When that work is done, it answers for the work I 

 would have to do next spring and summer when I am so busy. 

 Another point: it is free from weeds and there is no call for 

 work when I am busy with other things. So I call it the 

 * 'farmer's system." I have in the institute room spoken 

 strongly of the system; my neighbors are taking it up, and it 

 is the system for the farmer to use. 



Mr. Wedge: I think it has been stated several times in our 

 society that there was no danger in burning off an old straw- 

 berry bed; that that was the way to renew it for the second 

 year, to mow off the tops of the plants and burn them. I had 

 experience one or two years and very good success. This year 

 I went at it with a great deal of confidence, burned off one 



