24 



they are set, and by so doing allow the weeds to get started, and thus necessitating- a 

 long, tedious job in finger picking; besides, in picking out the weeds, the plants are 

 liable to be disturbed and destroyed — especially by careless employes ; therefore the 

 necessity of commencing early and going through the plantation often with fork, hoe 

 and cultivator. Remember that it is easier to run over a bed three or fpur times if there 

 are no weeds, than once if weedy ; and, besides, the plants are benefited so much by 

 this oft repeated cultivation ; and too, if worked over before weeds start the fork-hoe 

 or an iron rake can be used very rapidly in the rows, killing all little weeds that are 

 just germinating, and keeping the surface in a fine friable condition. Use a cultivator 

 that will loosen up the soil deeply, leaving it smooth and level behind, and not ridged 

 up. One of the best for this purpose, and especially for loosening up and pulverizing 

 the soil after it has become hardened by pickers passing over it so much in fruiting 

 season, is "Perky's Soaeifiee." It is so easily guided, running through the ground 

 so steadily that it can be run up very closely to the rows, and leaves the soil in the best 

 plight for plants to grow. We have also used a common harrow, tooth cultivator, 

 which answers very well for running through a young plantation to keep the surface" 

 stirred up, although worthless after weeds have got started, or on ground that has 

 become hardened. Just before winter sets-in cover the beds slightly with the mulch- 

 ing. This can be left on in the spring until after the fruiting season, if the ground 

 should not be too weedy, merely loosening up the surface with a fork-hoe, and if too 

 foul, it is better to give the plantation one thorough cleaning the last of April, or just 

 before they blossom. This can be done by drawing the mulching into every alternate 

 row, and after cultivating these, draw it all into the rows cleaned, and clean out the 

 balance, after which scatter the mulch evenly around the plants. 



The mulch is not only a protection to the plants through the winter, but it keeps 

 the fruit clean and finer in every respect. In localities where snow lays over the 

 surface most of the winter, and the ground does not "heave," mulching is not so 

 necessary, or if used, need not be put on so liberally. 



Another very good protection to the roots isto plow earth up to the plants, leaving a 

 trench half way between and drawing the same away early in the spring. It is also 

 necessary to draw a little more earth around the crown each year after fruiting season, 

 as the new roots form above the old crown. If, however, plenty of compost Is added 

 around the plants each year after fruiting, it answers for this purpose, besides stimu- 

 -lating them into an immediate luxuriant growth. Plantations kept in this way will 

 average, in the row, eight quarts to the rod, or about 150 bushels per acre of the best 

 bearing sorts, while, if even ordinary cultivation is given, good bearing sorts will 

 average half that amount. One good thorough cleaning or forking in April or May is 

 all that is necessary until after fruiting season. As soon as they are through bearing, 

 scatter a liberal quantity of rotted compost over the surface, and spade or plow between 

 the rows as deep as possible, loosening it up in the rows between the plants with a 

 fork-hoe. 



CROOKED AND STRAIGHT ROWS. 



Fig. 16. 



In Betting all kinds of fruit, care should be taken to set the rows straight. Fig. lb 

 Bhows plainly the importance of this. It will be seen at a glance that the straight 

 rows can be run up very closely to with the cultivator, while it will be impossible to 

 get close up to each plant in the crooked row, consequently there will be a much wider 

 space left, as shown by the lighter shading, to clean out by hand labor. Our ruhj has 

 been to do all we can with horse labor. 



I 



