1 82 SMALL FRUITS. 



friable condition. Cultivate once a week and 

 always after a rain as soon as the ground is in just 

 the right condition. 



The matted row is the best system for home cult- 

 ure. This consists in allowing the runners to root 

 along the line till they have formed a close row of 

 from 12 to 15 inches wide. Such afield is good for 

 about three years, when there will be a decrease in 

 the size and quantity of fruit. 



To renew this, there are several ways. One of 

 the best is to let the runners go free the third year, 

 then in July after all the fruit has been gathered, 

 mow the whole as if it were a meadow and when 

 dry burn it off. This will not hurt the young 

 plants, and is generally practiced yearly by some ol 

 our best growers. The next year the cultivator 

 will be used to plow up the old rows, keeping the 

 new for the succeeding crops. 



During the summer mow some prairie grass 

 before it has matured any seed and let it cure in the 

 cock, for winter covering. Do not cover till the 

 ground is frozen slightly. These plants will grow 

 up to this time and if covered before growth has 

 stopped they will smother out. It is generally 

 enough to cover till all plants are out of sight, but 

 more will do no hurt. This material will not blow 

 off easy, but if there is danger of it a few corn 

 stalks or other heavy matter may be scattered upon 

 the covering. 



There is a time when the first fruit commences 

 to color that the plants require water to produce a 



