178 THE HOME ACRE. 



this often costs as much as hay. Any clean litter 

 that will lie close to the ground and can be pushed 

 up under the plants will answer. Nor should it 

 be merely under the plants. A man once mulched 

 my rows in such a way that the fruit hung over 

 the litter on the soil beyond. A little common- 

 sense will meet the requirement of keeping the 

 berries well away from the loose soil, while at the 

 same time preserving a neat aspect to the bed. 

 Pine-needles and salt-hay are used where these 

 materials are abundant. 



Make it a rule to mulch as soon as possible after 

 the plants begin to blossom, and also after a good 

 soaking rain. In this case the litter keeps the 

 ground moist If the soil immediately about the 

 plants is covered when dry, the mulch may keep 

 it dry, to the great detriment of the forming 

 berries. It is usually best to put on the mulch as 

 soon as the early cultivation is over in April, and 

 then the bed may be left till the fruit is picked. 

 Of course it may be necessary to pull out some 

 rank-growing weeds from time to time. If the 

 hired man is left to do the mulching very late in 

 the season, he will probably cover much of the 

 green fruit and blossoms as well as the ground. 



After the berries have been picked, the remain- 

 ing treatment of the year is very simple. Rake 

 out the mulch, cultivate the soil, and keep the plants 



