36 THE STRAWBERRY CULTURIST. 



Coarse, strong manure from the stable or barnyard, 

 scattered along over the crowns of the plants, makes an 

 excellent winter protection, but as such material contains 

 many weed seeds, it should be employed only on beds 

 that are to be plowed up after fruiting the ensuing sea- 

 son. In fact, it will seldom pay the cultivator to clean 

 out an old weedy plantation, for it costs less to set out a 

 new one. 



Bed or Matted System. In this mode two or 

 three rows are planted in beds four feet wide, and the 

 plants allowed to cover the entire surface until they form 

 a close mat or bed ; hence the name. One or two crops 

 are taken and then the plants are plowed up as usual 

 when cultivated in rows. But, by thinning out occa- 

 sionally, the beds may be kept in a moderately produc- 

 tive condition for several years, especially with some of 

 the more slender growing of our native varieties. Some 

 cultivators, who raise Strawberries for market, adopt what 

 may be called an annual system, setting out plants 

 in spring either in single rows or narrow beds, giving 

 them extra care during the first season, then, after the 

 fruit is gathered the next summer, the beds are plowed 

 up. This mode necessitates the making of a new plan- 

 tation annually. On very rich soils and with the larger 

 varieties which generally command the highest price in 

 market this system is no doubt an excellent and profit- 

 able one. But amateurs and others, who have only a 

 limited space to devote to this fruit, will prefer either 

 the hill or row system, because, by devoting a little more 

 labor to cultivation and removing the runners, the beds 

 may be kept in good condition for fruiting a half dozen 

 years. By an occasional top-dressing of old and well 

 rotted manure, and forking in the materials used for pro- 

 tecting the plants and a mulch, the soil will be kept in 



