140 THE DIFFERENT KINDS OP FRUITS, 



row will be well filled with new and vigorous plants, suited to bear 

 a good crop of fruit the next season. 



At the approach of winter, and just before the ground freezes, the 

 rows should be carefully covered with some suitable mulch, to pro- 

 tect the plants from the rigor of winter. Old, rotten straw, or hay, 

 or weeds, or leaves of trees — or any light material not containing 

 seeds — will answer for this purpose; but care should be taken not to 

 put it on heavy enough to smother the plants. The b&st material 

 that can be named, perhaps, is a mixture of straw and leaves. 



In the spring, as soon as the ground Will do to work, the earth 

 between the rows should be thoroughly loosened and pulverized as 

 close to the plants as possible, with a plow or cultivator. Then the 

 mulch should be renewed and worked well down among the plants, 

 and left till after the picking is over. All weeds and grass should 

 be pulled out as they make their appearance. 



This mulching in the spring is highly essential for a variety of 

 reasons. It serves to keep the weeds from growing ; it keep& the 

 ground moist in dry weather; it protects the fruit from the soil; and 

 it renders picking more pleasant and cleanly. 



With some varieties, these rows will continue to give good results 

 for several years, treated as above described. But as a rule, two 

 good crops are as many as can be obtained. It is best, perhaps, to 

 have a new plantation made every year, so that one can be discon- 

 tinued annually, after running three years and fruiting two. 



VARIETIES. 



We come now to the most difficult part of the whole business of 

 strawberry culture, the choice of varieties. There are so many kinds 

 of soil, and so many varieties to select from — all having points of 

 excellence, perhaps, under certain conditions — that the question of 

 what to plant, so as to insure the best results, is extremely difficult 

 to decide. Here, again, the advice given in regard to the planting 

 of the tree fruits is applicable. Let each beginner compare his soil 

 and surroundings \vith those of his neighbors, and observe what sorts 

 are doing best in similar situations. And let him, after acquiring a 

 knowledge of his soil, learn from the books what varieties are best 

 adapted thereto. In this way much can be gained. Yet much will 

 still have to be found out by actual experiment. 



The first consideration in the selection of plants, is productwenesa. 



