riGHT] STRAWBERRIES AND THEIR KIN 



ing the plants. The strawberries are allowed to 

 give me some small returns for a year or two more, 

 while the substituted plants are growing. 



A strawberry bed must be invariably covered, 

 in order to make it secure from heaving out or freez- 

 ing out during the winter. A few of the newer, 

 long-rooted varieties take so strong a grip on the 

 soil that, while no hardier, they are not as liable to 

 be heaved. But in covering, we have to remem- 

 ber that the object is not so much to protect the 

 plant as to prevent freezing and thawing of the 

 soil. The real difficulty is thawing after freezing, 

 and then freezing again. After experimenting 

 with all sorts of covering, I am satisfied that our 

 best plan is to use compost such as I have de- 

 scribed, distributing it freely along the rows about 

 the first of November. It should not cover the tips 

 of the leaves. • The plants should be visible all 

 along the rows, otherwise you will find that you 

 have smothered and rotted more than you have 

 saved. In the spring, with a little movement of a 

 rake, this compost can be settled down into the rows 

 as a fertilizer. Autumn leaves make a fairly good 

 covering, provided they can be held in place with 

 trimming from your raspberries or other light 



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