1889.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 4. 149 



covered matted bed, and after the plants have made their 

 growth the remaining rows of old plants should be taken 

 out, clearing a space one foot in width, leaving the beds of 

 new plants three feet in width. This plan is practised mostly 

 by market gardeners, some of whom set several acres each 

 season upon ground where they have first taken a crop of 

 early vegetables. Grown in this way the ground will be 

 less covered the first season than the matted beds, and will 

 require somewhat later cultivation ; but after October first 

 they will require little or no attention until the last of No- 

 vember, when the ground becomes frozen. All the plants, 

 how^ever grown, should be covered with coarse meadow hay, 

 free from seed, at the rate of two tons to the acre ; or ever- 

 green boughs if they can be conveniently secured make a 

 still better covering. If the material used is applied while it 

 is snowing the falling snow holds it in place, and it is less 

 liable to be blown ofi" by the wind. No further attention is 

 required except to restore the covering if in any places 

 blown off, until about the twentieth of April, when it should 

 be carefully removed, and if hay is used, a small portion 

 may be left in the paths, as it will prevent the growth of 

 weeds, retain the moisture in the soil, and prevent the fruit 

 from becoming soiled. 



The plants will require no further care until the fruit is 

 picked, when, if it is proposed to continue the bed another 

 year, the paths, with the vines on each side, should be 

 ploughed up, leaving a cleared space three feet in width, the 

 ground levelled and well enriched ; if the season prove favor- 

 able, the runners from the remaining vines will fairly cover 

 the ground. Growers are divided in opinion as to the policy 

 of fruiting beds more than once ; the advantages are a saving 

 of time and labor in successive crops. The disadvantages 

 are, that the old beds are more dependent upon favorable 

 seasons to make their growth ; the vines are more liable to 

 injury from insect enemies, and rarely produce as much or 

 as good quality of fruit as the first crop. 



The selection of varieties will depend upon the object 

 in view by the grower, and the conditions under which the 

 plants are to be grown. No fruit varies so much when sep- 

 arated only by short distances as the strawberry. No variety, 



