STRAWBERRY HAND-BOOK. 19 



retard fruiting a few days. Care must be taken not to let 

 the mulch lie so thick at any point as to smother the plants. 

 Shake the material loose and scatter it just thick enough 

 to hide the ground. The mulch should be removed from 

 over the plants if they do not come through readily. 

 When a mulch is applied after the growth has well started, 

 it is best to apply it closely around and between the plants 

 by hand. 



Winter Production. Winter protection is necessary 

 where the temperature falls to zero, and is needed even in 

 warmer latitudes, especially in stiff soils. This protection 

 is precisely the same as the mulch, except that it is more 

 thickly applied. The mulch should be at least two inches 

 thick, while three will be better in very cold sections, or 

 where there is much thawing and severe freezing in the 

 late winter. In the spring, the rows must be opened to 

 permit the plants to get through easily. Both for mulch- 

 ing and for winter protection, the work must be done 

 thoroughly. 



Immediately after fruiting, remove the mulch and com- 

 mence the regular cultivation of the plants. While a mulch 

 will conserve moisture in the early days of the summer, 

 later on the sun will destroy its usefulnes, and tillage must 

 be used. Winter protection should not be supplied before 

 the ground begins to freeze hard. 



Picking and Shipping. Women and girls make the 

 best berry pickers. Let each picker have a series or 

 number of rows for the whole season. Then the pickers 



