STRAWBERRY CULTURE

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2494, 7 January 1887, Page 2

STRAWBERRY CULTURE

The follnwii)f{ novo); systelQ'.of strawliuny culture is much in vogue--uiuong tlw careful cultivators :m 'the'v neighborhood of.: Michigan; ~ United; States,-by which the fruit is produced: at a'profit when sold even for; 2d (four;';' cents(„a quart:—"The plants.-are 1 ; grown in Kills about 3ft'apart each way. Late in the, autumn' the ground' ia. thoroughly iriulehed with straw of, some similar material, and, ''■■ ' unti l' ttq ; fruit is harvested during, the June and; July following, ho further care is bestowed upon the plants.'' But 80011* after the picking •season is c'ndewiwhen the old niulch' is in a properf-' condition as to dryness and inflammability, thejmnloh is.fpd and the whole " patch" burned over, the options'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 aud all weeds, and feeble.-..fnlantSjVj and it burns off the entire leafy growth of the plants,'leaving, however the. "crown" or body of too plant which remains in a dormant or reatfiil condition for soma aud until" .stimulatecl'by tlio lato summer rains. All ; insist upon the need of this rest, the Sabbath of the strawberry, and where tho plants, have -Bot been mulohed the scytho is used lo remove 1 tho foliage,.so that the'donnantjieriod may be ensured to plants. When tho summer rains have set in the strawberry. • makes'' an astonishing growth, which is aided by the thorough use of cultivator and hoe until tho time for mulching lies ''arrived. By these means the ordinary vicissitudes of the season are measurable' overcome; so that failures aro nearly or quite unknown." . ' •