MAY: FIRST WEEK 119 



SO — but as the plants begin to make strong growth and fill 

 the soil with roots only surface cultivation should be used. 

 When a horse is available no tool is better than a twelve- 

 tooth cultivator, with a leveler attachment in the rear; 

 this leaves the surface almost as finely pulverized as if it 

 were raked. When the hand wheel hoe is used, the wide 

 hoes or sweeps, which cut all weeds off clean over a strip 

 of considerable width, will be found very useful. If the 

 plants have been set to grow by the hill system the greatest 

 care must be taken to pinch off all runners as soon as they 

 form. 



The very finest berries, and just as many of them, may 

 be had by keeping the plants single and throwing the whole 

 strength into individual crowns. But there is no use in 

 attempting this method of culture unless you are wilhng to 

 tackle the task of keeping the new runners pinched off. In 

 the matted-row system, which is usually followed, the first 

 runners from each plant are allowed to root, being spread so 

 that the plants will be as equally spaced as possible. After 

 that, the runners are kept cut or pinched off, so that an 

 alley for cultivating and picking is maintained between 

 each two rows. 



If your bed is coming into bearing for the first season push 

 the mulch aside gradually when there is no longer danger 

 from late frost, so that the plants and fruit stalks will grow 

 up through the mulch, and the berries, when they become 

 heavy enough, will lie upon it. Moving the mulch pre- 

 maturely often results, if there is a late frost, in the loss of 

 practically the whole crop. Any weeds that come up 

 through the mulch should be removed by hand to prevent 

 their going to seed. 



As soon as the plants are through bearing, the mulch 

 should be removed and the bed should be given a thorough 

 cleaning. It should be kept clean until the end of the season, 

 if you hope to get a good second or third crop. Older beds 

 are handled in much the same way. Sometimes it is feasible 

 to cultivate out the centers and in this fresh soil root new 

 plants from the old rows on either side. As soon as the new 



