310 Appendix. 



diflScult to get the earth in contact with the roots than when the plant has 

 fewer roots. The plant with the greatest number of feeding roots is, however, 

 the most desirable if properly handled. Such plants should be set in a broad, 

 flat hole where the roots can be spread out in natural form. By giving the crown 

 of the plant a whirl between the thumb and finger to throw the roots out like the 

 ribs of an umbrella and quickly putting it in place while the roots are still 

 thrown out from the crown, the normal position of the root system can be 

 closely approached. 



Another very satisfactory method is to open a hole by thrusting the blade- 

 of a bright spade into the soil, move the handle forward, thus opening a broad, 

 wedge-shaped hole, spread the roots of the plant in fan shape, and place them, 

 in the hole ; then withdraw the spade and insert it about six inches farther 

 forward, and by a backward movement of the handle firmly press the earth 

 against the roots of the plant. Two persons — a man to operate the spade and a 

 boy to place the plants — can set plants very rapidly in this manner. This prac- 

 tice is particularly well suited to localities with sparse rainfall, as it thoroughly 

 compacts the earth about the roots of the plant and allows the roots to extend 

 full length into the moist soil. Plants set in this way have their roots more 

 deeply inserted in the soil than when the roots are spread out in umbrella 

 fashion and as deeply as when set with a dibble. They also have the additional 

 advantage of being spread out so as to have a larger percentage of their surface 

 actually in contact with the soil than when set with a round dibble. 



DEPTH TO SET THE PLANTS. 



No plant which the gardener has to handle is more exacting in regard to 

 depth of planting than the strawberry. As the plant is practically stemless, the- 

 base of the leaves and the roots being so close together, care is required to 

 avoid setting the plant so deep that the terminal bud will be coverd or so 

 shallow that the upper portion of the roots will be exposed, either being a dis- 

 advantage which frequently results in the death of the plant. 



SYSTEM OF PLANTING. 



There are two general systems of planting strawberries : One contemplates 

 the maintenance of the plants in hills with the possibilit.y of cultivating them 

 in both directions ; the other allows more freedom and the plants spread and 

 form a broad belt or row called a "matted row." 



PL.iXTING IN HILLS. 



The system of cultivation predetermines the system of planting. For the 

 hill system of culture plants are set singly either three by three feet apart, or 

 with the rows four feet apart and the plants two feet apart in the row, depend- 

 ing upon the character of the soil and the length of time the plantation is to be 

 maintained. In Florida a common practice is to lay the land off in broad beds- 

 eight to twelve feet wide, the rows of plants to run lengthwise of the beds, the 

 rows twenty-four inches apart, with the plants eighteen inches apart in the rows. 



Such beds afford sufficient drainage and hold the mulch better than narrow 

 beds or raised rows, and the space between the plants admits light to all sides- 

 of the plant — an advantage in coloring the fruits which can not be secured by 

 the matter row system early in the season in the climate of Florida. The hill 

 system raises the plant somewhat and admits of more intensive cultivation than 

 does the matted row, an important consideration in combating crab-grass. On 

 very light dry soils it is considered best to practice flat or level culture rather 

 than bedding. 



PLANTING IN MATTED KOWS. 



In order to maintain a belt of plants twelve to eighteen inches wide, and 

 still have space between the belts for cultivation and the other operations 



