THE STRAWBERRY GARDEN. 203 



"Yes," faintly. 



" I am. It's awful jolly to have the snow go. The 

 strawberries will be here soon ; besides, its good weather for 

 base-ball." 



Johnny went on gathering up the leaves with his hands 

 and crowding them into a basket. They were wet, heavy, 

 and far from easy to handle. 



" Why do you do that? I should imagine they would 

 serve as a mulch." 



"Mulch ! What's that? " said Kate, just returning. 



" Anything placed on the ground around or over 

 plants. The leaves were a mulch. When the berries 

 ripen you will have to spread a mulch over the soil to keep 

 them clean. That's why they are called strawberries, 

 berries that grow among straw, as straw was first used as a 

 mulch." 



"Hear the girl! " cried Johnny. "One would think 

 she had eaten two whole books on strawberry culture. 

 Why did you not give us the benefit of your learning 

 before?" 



Mary confessed that she had only read that much quite 

 lately. 



More discussion ensued, and they decided to let the 

 leaves remain where they were. 



Johnny went carefully over the bed and brushed away 

 the thickest of the leaves around the plants, to give them a 

 better chance to push through. The surplus was spread 



