MULCHING. 2a 
For field culture, set two plants in a place, one foot 
from the next, in rows three feet apart, so as to leave 
room for a horse-cultivator to pass between the rows, 
care being requisite not to approach nearer than eight 
inches to the plants, when at work among them. 
This whole process of field culture is the same in its 
general principles with that in the garden ; except, for 
the convenience of a horse-cultivator to pass between 
them, the rows should one way be planted the same 
distance apart as corn; then the same treatment as to 
clean cultivation, and even water and mulching, as far 
as convenient, is desirable. 
On the selection of a field for strawberries, it is 
very important to choose one free from all kinds of 
seeds and roots not decomposed. 
MULCHING. 
This consists in covering the surface of the ground 
with something that is not injurious to the plant, to 
protect it from the intense heat of the sun or extreme 
cold. From one to four inches in depth is the usual 
custom; the latter depth for pear, peach, and other 
fruit trees. 
For the strawberry, we prefer, as soon as the plants 
