2 2 FRUIT FARMING 



they are plentiful, it will be necessary to remove them 

 with a small sickle ; remove also any old or decayed 

 foliage, the object being to develop strong young 

 leaves. If it is convenient, manure may then be got 

 on, but it is better placed in September or October, 

 or in fact any time up till March. If the soil is wet, 

 the rows are struck between with the plough, leaving 

 an open furrow, which raises the crowns safely out 

 of the risk of frost or water-logging. Established 

 Strawberries should be kept clear of weeds, and be 

 hoed once before they come to bloom ; and if they 

 cannot be conveniently horse hoed, hand hoeing will 

 answer the purpose equally well. They should be 

 mulched early in May with short barley straw, i.e., 

 supposing they have not been mulched with long 

 manure in spring; if that has been done, the virtue 

 will have washed in, and the straw remaining on the 

 surface will keep the fruit clean. 



Gooseberries and Currants. — These should be 

 manured as soon as the trees are winter pruned, and 

 where good well made dung is not available, artificial 

 manures are valuable, changing the kinds used year 

 by year. Fish guano may be used, as well as the 

 stimulants before named. Some growers even mulch 

 the bushes with stable dung after the first picking 

 of green berries. This improves the quality of later 

 green pickings, and gives greater size to the ripe 

 berries. 



