STRAWBERRY ! 449 
material, forest leaves do well as a mulch between the rows. In the 
spring the straw should be removed from over the plants and allowed to 
remain between the rows as a mulch, or all of it may be removed and 
the soil worked with a cultivator. 
A large crop should be produced the second season; many persons 
think it best to renew the plantation each year, but if the plants are 
healthy and the ground free from grass and weeds, the plantation can 
often be retained for a second crop. It will be well to plow the soil 
away from the rows so as to leave but a narrow strip, and along this the 
old plants should be cut out so as to leave the new plants about 1 
foot apart. If this is done in July, the rows should fill up by winter, 
so as to be in about the same condition as a new bed. 
Insects and diseases of the strawberry. 
The insect most commonly troublesome to the strawberry grower is 
the common June-bug, or May-beetle, the larvee of which are often 
very common in land that has been in sod. Two years should elapse 
before sod land is used for this crop. 
Cut-worms are often troublesome, but plowing the land the fall pre- 
vious to setting the plants will destroy many of them. They can 
be poisoned by sprinkling about the field clover or other green plants 
that have been soaked in Paris green water (p. 203). 
The most common fungous disease of the strawberry is leaf-blight 
or “ rust,” which frequently causes much injury to the foliage, and may 
result in the loss of the crop. Varieties least subject to the disease 
should be chosen for planting, and on suitable soils and well cared 
for, there need be little loss from this disease if the plantation is fre- 
quently renewed. The rust and mildew may be held in check by bor- 
deaux mixture. It is usually sufficient to spray after the blooming 
season (or at any time the first year the plants are set), in order to secure 
healthy foliage for the next year (p. 218). 
Varieties of strawberries. 
For most parts of the country, Haverland, Warfield, Bubach, and 
Gandy afford a succession and are all hardy and productive varieties. 
The first three are imperfect-flowered varicties, and some such perfect- 
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