68 ANNUAL REPORT. 



The difficulty with marsh hay is that you are obliged to remove 

 it; it is necessary to remove it in the spring, but it is not neces- 

 sary to remove corn stalks. I only grow two crops of straw- 

 berries. The first year I cultivate the vines thoroughly, and then 

 mulch them well in the fall and that is the last I do to them; I 

 get two crops. The old stalks that were first put on by the second 

 year become partially rotten, and furnish a good mulching for 

 the next year. 



Mr. Pearce. Mr. President, I think the subject of mulching 

 strawberries is one of importance to all strawberry growers, but 

 with me it has been a query when it should be done; from my 

 own experience and what I have observed I believe that it is 

 a better time to mulch when the snow is on the ground. I have 

 had the best success, and the best crop of beriies I ever raised, 

 mulched a little before Christmas with straw, and after the snow 

 was on the ground; the straw kept the snow from melting, and 

 kept it on the vines for weeks; they certainly were the best 

 vines I ever grew and came out very vigorous. If it was not such 

 an inconvenience to get around on the snow I think I would 

 adopt that plan. The great trouble is you are apt to get the 

 mulching on too thick, so that the vines will smother. I don't 

 know from the exjierience I have had if we happen to have snow 

 along towards Christmas that I would mulch any other way; I 

 don't think the strawberries are killed in the winter; it is in the 

 spring they are killed. I am speaking of my experience; my 

 success has been in mulching on the suom'. Where straw, marsh 

 hay or anything of that kind is used there is likely to be a good 

 deal of grass seed. 



Mr. Tuttle. I would say that I picked strawberries last season 

 for the market as late as the twentieth of July where the vines had 

 been covered with corn stalks. Speaking of the quantity picked 

 in a day, I ha<l one hand that picked eighty quarts in a short 

 half day anil another hand that picked seventy-two. 



Mr. Elliot. I would like to hear from Mr. Isaac Gilpatrick; 

 he is a gentleman who has had some experience as an amateur: 

 perhaps some that grow strawberries on a larger scale may get a 

 point or two from him. 



Mr. Gilpatrick. My exi)erience has been somewhat limited, 

 but I mulch with straw and manure and cover the ground Avith 

 corn stalks also; I prefei- the corn stalks. It does not take very 

 much time for mulching and I never had any too much time. I 

 have grown the Wilson and the Crescent, the Eureka and the 



