92 MODERN STRAWBERRY GROWING 
nor to injure the plants by careless walking 
or forking. 
WHEN ARE MATERIALS APPLIED? 
Where freezing of the soil is light and 
thawing often follows, it is advisable to apply 
the mulch just as soon as the active growth 
of the plant ceases, either in the last of 
October or the month of November. Pro- 
tection in this case would not only be against 
the many freezes and thaws but against the 
high dry winds of winter, which often do 
great damage to plants by drying them out or 
by exposing the roots to later sun action by 
removing or blowing away the soil. 
In the colder parts of the country, where the 
freezing is more permanent, it is best to wait 
until the ground is frozen hard enough to 
allow the wagon or cart to be driven upon it 
without breaking into the soil. At the ex- 
treme North,where snow comes early and stays 
until late spring, it would be hardly advisable 
to mulch very heavily as the plants would 
smother with the combined mulch and snow. 
WHEN IS THE MULCH REMOVED? 
Where heavy mulching has been practised 
it is best to remove the coarse, bulky part 
