198 COMMERCIAL HANDLING OF STRAWBERRIES 



the best winter mulch. The rows are covered 2 to 4 

 inches deep. This winter mulch should be raked from 

 the plants and left between the rows as a protection to 

 the fruits and a safeguard against drouth in the fruit- 

 ing season. 



Winter killing of the strawberry appears to be more 

 often due to alternate freezing and thawing, together 

 with the consequent drying out of the surface soil, than 

 to the low temperature itself. Thus in beds where severe 

 winter injury has occurred, the roots are often found 

 to be killed for a short distance below the crown, while 

 farther down they are alive. In such cases the plants 

 frequently start into growth in spring, but die down in a 

 short time. 



The strawberry plant, as well as the bramble plants, 

 can and do endure drouth and ask little aid from man 

 in their season of barrenness, but during the very brief 

 period when their fruits approach and reach maturity 

 they demand more ready moisture than slow maturing 

 field crops. For this reason the fruit grower is at a dis- 

 advantage. 



Crops that demand highly intensive culture and make 

 high returns for the area planted may render irrigation 

 an economical measure. For example, the new fall-bear- 

 ing strawberry is generally the victim of the fairly regu- 

 lar heat and drouth of August and September. A method 

 of irrigation that would provide it with a full supply of 

 water might with reasonable assurance be counted on to 

 insure an annual crop. This granted, other conditions 

 affecting success would have consideration. 



The center of the most important strawberry industry 

 of New York State is at Oswego. The leading natural 

 advantage of this region for the commercial production 

 of strawberries is the lateness at which the crop matures. 

 When the berry season of New Jersey and southern New 

 York is past, the Oswego berries are in their prime. 



