PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 285 



Mr. Smith. — Eye straw applied late in the season is an excellent mulch, 

 and prevents the alternate freezing and thawing in the spring. I put on 

 mulch in March upon autumn-set plants, and in autumn upon those set in 

 spring. I have tried moss as a mulch, and found that it injured the fruit. 



As to the remarks of Mr. Robinson about planting strawberries, it de- 

 pends upon variety how they should be treated. For instance, the Early 

 Scarlet should always be grown in beds, the Triomphe de Gand always in 

 hills, and all the runners should be as carefully trimmed off as we prune 

 grape vines. 



Dr. Parker. — The strawberry-growers in Tompkins county have an im- 

 plement drawn by a horse, with sharp knives that run close to the hills 

 and cut off the runners. They keep the plants in hills, 30 or 40 inches 

 apart. 



Mr. Smith. — I have practiced the southern mode of raising strawberries ; 

 in the early spring I set fire to the mulch and dried leaves, and burn the 

 whole off, and leave the beds perfectly bare. The crowns of the plants 

 were not injured and came up finely, and bore a very large crop of fruit. 

 This kills the weeds and benefits the strawberries. We then plant onions 

 between the rows, and the cultivation of them keeps the bed clear of weeds. 



Mr. A. S. Fuller. — I think the plan adopted by Mr. Smith a very ex- 

 pensive one, for my mulching costs full fifty dollars per acre. I am pleased 

 with this mulching with pine leaves; it is the first time I have ever heard 

 of its use. I know it must be a good mulch; it allows the air to circulate 

 and aerate the soil. I am in the habit of using salt hay; it is fine and lays 

 close; tan bark is an excellent mulch and does not require much cultiva- 

 tion; it keeps the weeds down and the land moist, and should a large weed 

 come through it, cut it out. I have also used moss, but this holds the 

 moisture too much; the fruit grows large, but they have a very poor taste. 



Mr. Wm. S. Carpenter. — The observations of Mr. Fuller give some new 

 light on this subject; this mulching is not only to keep the soil moist, 

 but to protect the plants from the weather; I should think it would have a 

 tendency to rot the plants. I have found corn stalks a good covering for 

 strawberries. Any covering makes the soil more mellow, and if straw is 

 used it will be found economical to chaff it, for that makes it a better 

 covering, takes less, and does not blow off as readily as whole straw. 



Mr. Cavenach, of Brooklyn,' said that one man covered his strawberry bed 

 with rye straw, pretty thick, and all the plants smothered. He knows one 

 man who uses sea-weed, which is a light, open stuff, with good success. 

 Near the coast it is a very cheap covering, costing only fifty cents a load. 

 Burning the mulch, as mentioned by Mr. Smith, might do for plants set out 

 in the spring, but I should be afraid to try it upon old plants, as many of 

 the roots are upon the surface, or very little below it. 



Dr. Parker. — If seed clover straw will answer, that with us would be the 

 cheapest covering, as it is worth nothing, while rye straw is worth $3, oat 

 straw $6, and wheat straw $4 a ton. 



Subject for the next meeting, " Pruning of Fruit Trees." 



Adjourned. JOHN W. CHAMBERS, Secretary. 



