Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-06-13
TIE sMALL FRTITs

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The -eason why so few farmers can
grow sufficient supply Of small fruit can
be found IN two cause.-the purchase of
untried novelties and neglect to give
proper cultivation. Nearly every farmer
have ever met has at sometime bought
berry plants and taken care of them willie
the novelty lasted, and then givsn them
over to the weeds to be run out and dis
appear. Where there is some one whose
business it Is TO make and keep the gar
den clean, the cultivation OF a small
strawberry patch Is simply sn addition to
the work, being no more difficult than the
transplanting and hoeing Of ordinary
vegetables, and really less bothetsome
than the growing of celery, onions or car
rots, a. the plants when planted are l4rs e
and slightly and ready for immediate hoe
ing. When the size of the plantation is
unduly increased 50 as 70 require help
much beyond the ord binary garden sork,
then the period Of neglect is sure to come
sooner or later, and the strawberry patch
becomes a mess of weeds. Whether the
runners are clipped or not, there is, after
the Fourth of J1ly, constant watchful-
ness necessary, and large amount of
work 20 keep them clean. Where per
son is situated like Mr.. Terry, and makes
heir cultivation a pastime and amuse-
ment, visiting 1t every day, sometimes
several times day, aud jealousy watch
ing the appearance of every weed, the
labor Is not felt nor, fear, reckoued at
its full value.
To the ordinary farmer the period from
the lst Of July to the l.t Of October is a
busy one, aud during this period most
-trswberf! patches get the better u their
owner, aud if the autumn IL wet, 20 into
the winter with q goodly sprinkling Of
dock, sorrel and white clover plants, which
improves every bit of open weather to
strengthen the position and enlarge their
bodies. The removal of these and other
pernuial weeds should be the very drst
work of spring. If the runners have
been allowed 10 cover the ground it will
be tedious job, and the owners will in
nine cases out of ten, give l. up, with the
idea OF not getting caughs 50 again. This
Is poor policy whether viewed a. mat
ter of discipline or profit, for weeds
make wonderful growth between the
opening of spring and the ripening Of
fruits, and the fiat unpretending little
tufts of sorrel put forth an energy won
derful to see and quite Encouraging when
the results OF all this Is com pared with
the luscious berries half smotheted and
stuuted and wholly hid underneath.
1t Is commonly stated as an axiom in
strawberry culture that it is cheaper TO
set new plantation than to clean out sn
old one but 1 am satisfied that if careful
attention is given TO them before bearing
that the difference in flavor of the new
plantation Is not marked. The risk of
starting a new plantation is considerable
saying nothing about the fact that many
varieties do not do their best the irst
year. In all matted row culture spriug
cultivation must be continued to the use
of the noe, and a special lookout must be
kept for small TUT OF the perennial grass
es, such as bluegrass, redtoD, etc. In rich
ground q sickly looking tuit of redtop a.
dig as the finger in March will often Gov
er a foot square, by the middle of July
Even in apparently clean plantation
plants of white clover and other peren-
mails will be found nesting close under
the stragbcrry plants, lying low and abld
ing their time. Where considerable weed
Ing is done IN the spring and grOunC
laid bare, some sort of muchIng will bt
necessary. Half-rotten short straw j.
the bsst, or where q power cutter is avail
able, fresh straw cut into four inches
IN length Is cleaner and better. If ia,
mulchlug is deferred until grass is a foo
high, this can be moved and applied in a
green state, and makes a soft, delightful
mulch bnt the blossoms and just. setting
fruit at this period made IL q tedious
careful job Sawdust is no better thar
sand, a. it adheres TO the fruit.