Strawberry Culture. — 313 



might accomplish this same object by mulching with litter — 

 straw, hay, saw-dust, tan-bark, etc. — but it always involves more 

 expense and is usually less convenient. It also affords undesir- 

 able hiding places for vermin, prevents the needed airing of the 

 soil, and favors the propagation of fungi. Altogether, the loose 

 soil mulch, which is the result of good tillage, is usually the 

 most satisfactory. A clean straw or hay mulch, however, comes 

 very acceptable during the picking season. It then protects the 

 berries from contact with the soil, and keeps them bright and 

 clean. 



Winter Protection. — Strawberry plants are quite hardy, 

 yet liable to heave out by the freezes and thaws of winter, and 

 for this reason should be given a winter overcoat. Without 

 protection of some kind, say by a mulch of litter or snow, best 

 results ought not to be expected, as great loss of plants, and 

 damage to fruit buds and roots will be unavoidable. If you have 

 a nice strawberry bed, whatever you may do with it, don't neglect 

 to provide a winter mulch. It is not enough to apply fine 

 compost to the patch in the fall. Coarse, strawy manure will do 

 very well, and should be put on all over the ground (not only 

 over the rows) as soon as the ground is frozen hard enough to 

 hold a wagon. Evergreen boughs are often quite serviceable ; 

 but nothing in the shape of winter mulch can be superior to salt 

 or marsh hay. This is to be had quite cheaply in many 

 localities. Evenly spread over the ground it will afford a perfect 

 protection, and the grower may feel at ease concerning his 

 strawberry bed when thus covered, in the most trying kind of 

 winter weather. 



Gathering the Fruit. — At the approach of spring the 

 winter mulch should be removed, or rolled aside until the patch 

 can be given a thorough stirring up with cultivator and hoe. 

 Whatever weeds start up, are pulled up by hand or killed with the 

 hoe. Afterwards the clean mulch may be put carefully around 

 the plants on each side of the rows to keep the fruit clean. 



The berries, when ripe, are picked in clean quart baskets, 

 level full, and if for market, only nice, clean, sound, good-sized 

 and well-colored berries are wanted in the baskets. Leave the 

 imperfect fruit on the vines, or throw them away. Neither is 

 there any place in the baskets for leaves and rubbish. Straw- 

 berries are perishable, and do not improve in any respect after 

 being taken off the vines. The sooner they are used or disposed 

 of, the better. 



Strawberries in Home Garden. — Farmers and towns- 

 people who grow only their own home supply, usually plant a 

 little patch in their garden, and here the plants are set quite 

 close, perhaps fifteen inches each way, and all tended with the 

 hand hoe. Here the ground is almost always very rich, and a 



