Winter Protection 233 



berries in hills, but they all resolve into the matter of keep- 

 ing all of the runners off the plants and making all of the 

 strength of the plant go into the development of one big 

 fruit producing plant. 



The hedge row is more popular than the hill system, as 

 it entails a smaller amount of labor and enables one to set 

 the rows closer together. In this system each mother plant 

 is allowed to make two runners and these are trained in 

 the row, one going on one side and the second on the other 

 side. When the plants are set from three to three and one- 

 half feet apart and two feet in the row, they should stand 

 about six inches apart in the rows after the runners are 

 layered. 



This system can be elaborated upon a little by what is 

 sometimes called the "double" hedge row. This is essen- 

 tially the same as the hedge row except that the rows are 

 wider, although there should be fully six inches of space 

 around each plant in the rows. This system is believed 

 by careful observers to produce the maximum amount of 

 large fruit that it is possible to get from a field. But the 

 system entails a great amount of hand work, a greater 

 amount, in fact, than the average man can give his fields 

 where a large area is in berries. 



The matted rows are most popular among the general 

 commercial producers. The plants are set in rows about 

 three or three and one-half feet apart and about two and 

 one-half feet apart in the row. The plants are then al- 

 lowed to grow and make as many runners as they can to 

 fill up a row about a foot and a. half wide. Beyond this 

 the runners are kept cut off by a little attachment that is 

 placed on the sides of the cultivator. 



Winter .Protection 



Whether winter protection, or mulching, is used will 

 depend largely on one's location. When a mulch is. applied 

 it may be done for any one or all of three reasons; first, 

 to keep the soil cool and moist during the season; second, 

 to keep the berries free from dirt during the spring rains, 

 and third, to afford winter protection.. In the Northern 



