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Show MULCHING FOR FRUIT VINES Practice Prevents Growth of Weeds, Retains Moisture and Adds Needed Humus to Soli. A successful $JV:st Virginia raspberry raspber-ry grower gives? Viie following reasons for mulching: It prevents too growth of weeds. It retains mo:s;nre In the soil. It adds hnmm, cine of the necessary slements. It keeps the ifult clean and presents pre-sents mud at picking time. It saves laboi', tae cost of mulching nn acre with turist leaves or straw not exceeding $15 It prevents d.iep freezing. It makes thy suit more solid for cultivation and better for shipping purposes. It prevents the. baking of the soil caused by trampi-ag at picking time. It has the disadvantage of encouraging encourag-ing mice and establishing a surface root system. However, we have not noticed any serious damage from either ei-ther of these effects. The cost of growing- raspberries by joaturc'3 method, as I like to call it. is not very great. Picking is a ni-.e Job where there is no mud, no weeds and where the canes have been properly prop-erly pruned. Don't leave any old canes standing in the field. j |