Farmers' champion. (Elgin, Okla.) 1912-1922, 1915-07-07

| Urcpared by the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture
Clean shallow cultivation should b,
followed throughout the season. Coco
cultivation keeps down the weeds. al
lows the rains to penetrate the sol
and prevents the excessive evapora
ton OF moisture. Cultivation should
begin soon after the plants are set and
should be continued whenever weeds
start or crust forms. The main OBJ
Jects of cultivation are to break up
the crust and to prevent the loss of
moisture from tho soil below the sur.
face. which IL accomplished by form.
ing and maintaining blanket OF loose
soil on the surface Frequent shallow
cultivation will make 1t unnecessary
to use sweep to kill weeds and grass.
which is often necessary under the
methods OF culture now in common
use In the Sonth A cuHivator which
merely breaks up the surface of the
ground without disturbing ,tAe roots Ia
to be preferred. In addition to using
the horse cultivator 1t viii be neces.
sary to do some hand hoeknx To keep
down the weeds and 20 teetNthe soil
loose between the plants' In the row
Weeds will sometimes r,hAte, TO, be
pulled by hand. and they sbVsM nsyer
be allowed to become large. kSeai,se
when large weeds are orAmavsd the
strawberry plants will be.dhtNrbgA. .
mulehIne the Bed 10 tmnes1anE. I'd
Mulching Is a very important opasA-
tion In connection with strawberry
growing. as 1t prevents the excessive
loss OF moisture. prevents "heaving'
out" In regions where freezes occur,
keeps the berries clean. keeps, ,dS%n
weeds. retards growth In cold regions
tthus preventing frost injury. and
adds humus to the soil. The important
objects of mulching in the South ara
conserving moisture. protecting the
berries from dirt and keeping down
weeds. Mulched plants are said to
sufer less from spring frosts than
those In the same area not mulched.
Strawberries are not usually cultivated
during the picking season. because
stirring the soil tends to make the
fruit dirty and gritty; but unless the
plants are mulched they are apt to
suffer from drought, which often oc.
curs Mt this season. causing n serious
reduction In yield. There would not
be as much loss due to drought II the
plants could be kept cultivated during
the picking season. but as cultivation
Is objectionable, mulchlng is a very
effective substitute.
There are many materials that can
be used for mulching. but their value
depends largely upon their freedom
from weed seeds. Wheat. rye. oat
straw. strawy manure from the horse
stable. pine straw and marsh hay are
the materials most commonly used
All of these are satisfactory when they
can be secured In sufficient quantity
and are free from weed seeds or grain
Pine straw Is the best material TO use
80 far as ease OF application and keep.
Ing the berries clean are concerned
but II is not as valuable a source OF
humus as the other materials and can.
not he secured In all regions
The mulch should be applied during
the late fall or winter whenever the
soil will not be injured by driving on
Il. A sufficient quantity should be
used to conserve the moisture and to
protect the berries from dirt by keep.
Ing them on the ground A mulch two
or three inches thick is adequate for
this purpose. II there Is no mulch
between the rows the soil should be