Ill some cases, however, it is not possible, for the grower to raise his own 

 plants, and consequently he may have to purchase from a distance. Also 

 new varieties are often shipped from a distance. For the information of those 

 who may ha^•e to make such purchases I quote the following from W. 'T. Macoun, 

 ^' Small Fruit Culture," Central Experimental Farm, page 5 : 



" If the plants for setting out are obtained from a distance, they should be ordered 

 to arrive as early in the spring as possible after the soil can be worked, and planted soon 

 after their arrival. It is often, however, not convenient to plant at once; but in any 

 case, the parcel containing the plants should be opened up when it arrives, otherwise 

 they are liable to heat or dry out, either one of which conditions should be avoided if 

 possible. The plants should now be heeled in in some place where the soil is well drained. 

 Open a trench sufficiently deep to cover the strawberries well, and so that the crown 

 will be just above the ground. Now place the plants close together, but in a single row 

 in the trench. Another trench is now opened parallel with the first and about six inches 

 from it, using the soil to cover the roots of the plants in the first trench. The soil should 



Narrow Matted Row System. 



be firmly packed or tramped against the roots so that the moisture will come into close 

 contact with them. If loosely heeled in, they are very likely to dry out and the plants 

 die. Other trenches should be dug parallel with the first two, if needed. By the time 

 the field is ready for planting these heeled-in plants will have made new roots, and be 

 in better condition for planting than if they had been set out at once." 



Setting the Plants.— Tiro plants may be .^^et in either spring or fall, but 

 usually nothing is gained by fall planting. Unless the plants become Avell estab- 

 lished and nuake .some growth there is a po.«sibility that a large share of them will 

 not survive the winter. Spring is the recognized time. As soon as the plant? 

 ha^•e developed tvvo or three sets of leaves they shonld be carefully dug with a 

 fork, pruned, and set at once. Do not allow thicm to ^\Ti'lt. If the day is very 

 drying cover them carefully vrith a sack or cloth as they are packed into the 

 planting liasket. Sometimes the plants develop too much top before the grower 



