21O THE SMALL COUNTRY PLACE 



the ground has been frozen hard enough to hold up the 

 horse and load, but as in many cases there is a long-con- 

 tinued spell of freezing and thawing weather before this 

 condition is reached, it is best to put on a light covering 

 as soon as severe freezing occurs and then in the North 

 add more covering as the weather becomes colder. The 

 mulch is generally spread over the entire surface, but 

 when the rows are wide apart only the bed of plants 

 need be covered. In the spring some growers remove 

 the mulch from the beds and cultivate the soil until the 

 fruit begins to form and then return it, but most of 

 them let it lie upon the beds, simply drawing it away 

 from the crowns of the plants so that they may work 

 out without injury. On light land subject to drouth 

 the former practice will give the best results, while in 

 heavy soils the moisture dries out more rapidly if the 

 mulch is not removed. Quickly soluble fertilizers are 

 sometimes applied in the spring, but if used in large 

 quantities they tend to produce a leaf growth at the 

 expense of the fruit. A dressing of acid phosphate and 

 sulphate of potash put on very early in the spring, or 

 just as the fruit is beginning to form, will often greatly 

 increase the yield, but as a rule it is best to use the 

 plant food in the summer and fall. Nitrogenous fertil- 

 izers should not be used in the spring when the fruit is 

 beginning to form. 



Harvesting the Fruit. 



One of the great trials of the strawberry grower is 

 getting his fruit picked, packed, and marketed. The 

 fruit ripens rapidly and must be picked every day or 

 every other day, and unfavorable weather often pre- 

 vents it being harvested in good condition. It is often 

 difficult, too, to find help to pick and properly pack the 

 fruit. Women and children are generally employed for 



