The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1915-07-09

kPrepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture)
Clean, shallow cultivation should be
Followed throughout the eason 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
1ects OF cultivation are to break up
the crust n 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
soH on the surface. Frequent shallow
cultivation win mak it unnecessary
to use a sweep to kill weeds and grass,
which Is often necessary under the
methods Of culture now 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 c~ultivator it will be neces-
eary 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.
Mulchina the Bed Is Important.
Mulchfng Is a very important opera
ton in connection with, strawberry
p~roujn~ &C a. -ro,oot, @Lo
loss Of moisture, prevents ."heaving
out" in regions where freezes occur,
keeps the berries clean, keeps down
weeds, retards growth in cold regions
(thus preventing frost injury, and
adds humus to the soil. The important
objects of mulching in the South are
conserving moisture, protecting the
berries from dirt and keeping down
weeds. Mulched plants are said to
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 are apt to
suffer from drought, which often oc-
ours at this season, causing a serious
reduction in yield. There would not
be as much loss due to drought If the
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 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
ear be secured in sufficient quantity
and are free from weed seeds or grain,
Pine straw is the kest material to use
so far as ease Of application and keep
ing the berries clean are concerned.
but 1t is mo- as valuable a source Of
humus as the other materials and can
not be 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
it. A sufficient quantity should be
used to conserve the moisture and to
protect the berries from dirt by keep.
ing them off the ground. A mulch two
or three inches thick Is adequate for
this purpose. If there is no mulch
between the rows the soil should be