242 Strawberry-Growing 



market is good, even if we get twice the berries oflf the new 

 bed." This is one way of extending the season of a single 

 variety. The less cultivation or mulching given to the old 

 bed, the earlier the berries will ripen. Although the 

 yield is smaller, the cost of production is low. 



RENEWAL METHODS 



The methods to be followed in renewing a strawberry 

 plantation depend chiefly on the way in which the plants 

 are trained ; also, to some extent, on the climate, nature 

 of the soil, stand of plants and the season. They may 

 be divided into two groups. The first includes methods 

 of renewing the tops of the plants, as by mowing and 

 burning; the second comprises ways of modifying the 

 number of plants, as by plowing and harrowing. 



Mowing and burning. 



Mowing is practiced more than any other method. It 

 is useful mainly in broadcast, matted row and spaced 

 row training ; occasionally in hedge-row and hill training. 

 On the North Pacific coast, mowing is discouraged. In 

 California, renewal is accomplished by stripping off the 

 leaves and runners by hand ; but the strippings are not 

 burned upon the plants. In the Rocky Mountain region, 

 the leaves are not mowed unless the leaf-roller has been 

 serious. With these few exceptions, mowing is practiced 

 whenever plants are fruited two or more seasons. 



Mowing is done as soon as possible after the crop is 

 harvested, preferably within a week. The longer the 

 bed stands thereafter the more weedy it gets. In matted 

 or spaced row training the cutter bar may be run very close 

 to the ground, since the crowns are protected by the soil ; 



