HARVESTING 



175 



too early the plants often start into growth too soon. Con- 

 sidering all materials, the clean straw is perhaps the best for 

 mulching. 









Fig. 84. — A well-mulched strawberry bed. 



Fig. 85. — ^A well-graded crate of strawberries packed in square pint boxe.s. 

 (After Thompson, United States Department of Agriculture.) 



Harvesting. — ^The time of picking the strawberry depends 

 upon the distance they are to be shipped. When they are 

 grown for home consumption or for the local market they 



