RENOVATING THE OLD BED 95 
in size of the fruit; but this is practically 
made up for in the early ripening of the fruit, 
enabling the grower to ship his berries earlier 
to market and thereby obtain some of the 
higher prices. 
If a bed is to be carried over for two or 
three years, it will be found that the in- 
creased cost of weeding or cleaning out the 
old bed is greater than that of setting out 
and caring for a new one. 
There are at least three methods by which 
a strawberry bed may be renewed with very 
satisfactory results. All of these methods 
rquire, however, a bed filled with numerous 
thrifty and vigorous plants. 
The first method, used after the plants 
have fruited, consists of ploughing one fur- 
row from each side of the matted row, leav- 
ing a strip in the middle not more than a foot 
wide, which has a fair number of good plants 
growing in it. Following this, well decom- 
posed manure is spread liberally on the hill, 
or back furrow, which the ploughing has made 
between the plant rows. At least 15 tons to 
the acre should be applied, and more if it 
is available. The shovel-tooth cultivator, 
either five or seven teeth, should then be 
