RENOVATING THE OLD BED 9I 



shading of the soil and the liberal supply of 

 moisture in the topsoil, making root growth; 

 in colder regions retarding growth until all 

 danger from frost is past. 



6. Lessens weed growth by smothering 

 the young seedlings. 



7. Where some of the mulch is left on the 

 bed after plant growth starts in the spring, 

 it holds the fruit up from the soil, thereby 

 enabling the grower to obtain cleaner fruit. 



HOW TO APPLY THE MULCH 



The easiest and quickest way to apply 

 stable manure, fine chaff, or any other fine 

 material on matted rows of strawberries, 

 after the ground is fairly firmed by freezing 

 in the fall, is with a manure spreader which 

 straddles the rows. Set the spreader to throw 

 fifteen tons to the acre; the plants will be 

 covered just deep enough and very evenly. 



All coarse straw, vines, etc., will require 

 hand labour. Stacks of these materials 

 should be made, or loads should be dumped 

 at convenient distances along the sides or 

 ends of the strawberry bed; then men with 

 forks can spread the material over the plants, 

 being careful not to cover them too deeply 



