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picking season of the red raspberry we ought to discontinue 

 cultivation. I beHeve we ought to increase our cultivation 

 during the harvest season rather than cut down on the cultiva- 

 tion. The more the pickers walk through the field the more 

 they tramp down the surface of the soil. The more they tramp 

 down the surface of the soil the heavier the evaporation. At 

 that season of the year the rainfall is apt to be light, and in 

 order to bring through a good crop it is absolutely necessary 

 and essential that we have a good supply of moisture, and we 

 can hold the moisture we have there by more frequent culti- 

 vation. 



Chairman Munson. Any other questions? 

 A Member. Wouldn't mulching answer the same purpose? 

 Mr. Davenport. Mulching during the fruiting season? Yes, 

 mulching during the fruiting season would serve the same pur- 

 pose. It can be done in a small way where there is only a 

 small amount to be done, but cannot be done very well commer- 

 cially. In the case of winter conditions, I believe it would be 

 cheaper to grow a cover crop than to try a mulch. In many 

 sections, particularly in the case of the dewberry, their mulch 

 is practically always weeds. Usually from the middle of July 

 they let the weeds grow, serving as a cover crop and mulching 

 the land. 



A Member. I suppose that is a matter of cost, isn't it? 

 Mr. Davenport. Yes. I rather think in the case of the 

 dewberry we might, if we gave it proper protection and planted 

 it on proper soil, be able to obtain fairly good results. 



Mr. Van Meter. Do you plow your plantation in the 

 spring? 



Mr. Davenport. In regard to the plowing, usually as soon 

 as the land is in workable condition we plow one or two fur- 

 rows on each side of the row, throwing dirt towards the plants; 

 then a little bit later we start cultivation, depending on soil 

 conditions, and cultivate the soil down level again. I found 

 in some sections, particularly New York State, that there the 

 growers plow towards the plant the first part of the spring; 

 then about two weeks later they go in again and plow the soil 

 back from the plants, before they start cultivation. I do not 

 really see that there is any need or any particular object in 



