Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1915-07-16

prepared by the United States Depart
ment Of ~Agriculture.)
Clean, shallow cultivation should be
followed throughout the season. Good
cultivation keeps down the weeds, al
lows the rains to penetrate the soil
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 a crust forms. The main OBJ
3ects OF cultivation are to break up
the crust and to prevent the loss Of
moisture from the soil below the sur
face, which Is accomplished by form
Ing and maintaining a blanket of loose
soil on the surface. Frequent shallow
cultivation will make 1t unnecessary
to use a sweep to kill weeds and grass,
which Is often necessary under the
methods Of culture nov in common
use in the South. A c%ultivator which
merely breaks up the surface Of the
ground without disturbing the roots Is
TO be preferred. In addition to using
the horse cultivator it will be neces-
sary to do some hand hoeing, to keep
down the weeds and to keep the soil
loose between the plants In the row
Weeds will sometimes have to be
pulled by hand, and they should never
be allowed to become large, because
when large weeds are removed the
strawberry plants will be disturbed.
MuIohlng the Bed 10 Important.
Mulching is a very important opera.
ton In connection with strawberry
growing, as 1t prevents the excessive
loss Of moisture, prevents "heaving
ont" In regions where freezes occur
keeps the berries clean. keeps down
weeds, retards growth in cold regions
(thus preventing frost injury. and
adds minus to the soil. The important
objects pf mulehing in the South are
conserving moisture, protecting the
berries from dirt and keeping down
weeds. Mulched plants are said tc
suffer 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 a r apt t
suffer from drought, which often oc
ours at this season, causing a serious
reduction In yield. There would moi
be as much loss due to drought If thu
plants could be kept cultivated during
the picking season, but as cultivation
Is Objectionable, mulching is a very
effective substitute.
There are many materials that car
be used for mulching. but their value
depends largely upon their freedom
from weed seeds. Wheat, rye, oa'
straw, strawy manure from the horse
stable, pine straw and marsh hay ar
the materials most commonly used
All Of these are satisfactory when the,
can be secured in sufficient quantit,
and are free from weed SEEDS or grain
Pine straw Is the best material to u.s.
30 far as ease of application and keep
ing the berries clean are concerned
but 1t is not as valuable a source o
humus as the other materials and can
not be secured in all regions.
The mulch should be applied durinI
The late fall or winter whenever tn
soil will not be injured by driving o.
Il. A sufficient quantity should b
used to ser the moisture and t
protect the berries from dirt by keeI
ing them of the ground. A mulch tw
or three inches thick IL adequate 70
this purpose. II there is no mule
Aatvoon tho rows the soil should 3