STRAWBERRY CULTURE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1517, 25 November 1886, Page 3

STRAWBERRY CULTURE.

The following novel system of strawberry culture is much in vogue among the careful cultivators in the neighborhood of Michigan, United States, by which the fruit is produced at a profit wLen sold even for 2d (four cents) a quart:—"The plants are grown in hills three feet apart each way. Late in the autumn the ground is thoroughly mulched with straw or some similar material, and, until the fruit is harvested during the June and July following, no further care is bestowed upon the plants. But soon aftur the picking season is ended, when the old mulch is in a proper condition as to dryness and inflammability, the mulch is fired, and the whole 'patch' burned over; the operation of burning being assisted by men with forks who stir the old mulch until all is consumed. This burning accomplishes a double purpose : it destroys the annual growth of runners and a!l weeds and feeble plants ; and it burns off the leafy growth of the plants, leaving, however, the ' crown' or body, of the plant, which remains in a .dormant or resting condition for some weeks and until stimulated by the late summer rains. All insist upon the need of this rest, the Sabbath of the strawberry ; and where the plants have not been mulched the scythe is used to remove the foliage, so that the dormant period may be insured to the plants. When the summer rains have Bet in the strawberry makes an astonishing growth, which is aided by the thorough nee of cultivator and hoe until the tiu/e for mulching bus arrived. By this means the ordinary vicissitudes of the season are measureably overcome, so that failures are aearly or quite unknown."