Winter Meetins:. 261 



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and larg-er berries than where there are thirty plants to the square 

 foot. For garden cuhure, where the rows are two feet apart, train 

 the runners from two rows together, leaving a path between each 

 two rows so treated, thus there will be, first, a strip of berries, then 

 a path, alternately across the bed. ^ 



If your soil is flat and level, see to proper drainage, by ditching 

 and raising the bed, but never plant on ridges, always on the level. 

 The above applies to spring planting. Fall planting is often suc- 

 cessful, but in very dry autumns often time and labor are wasted. 

 The safest way is to buy potted plant'^ or pot them yourself. This 

 is easily done. Take three-inch flower pots and bury them in the 

 ground near the parent plant and in them set the runners nearly 

 readv to root. Put a stake in the pot so it may be found again. 

 In two or three Aveeks thev will be read}- to move. The pots will be 

 root-bound and usually one watering is enough to start them well. 

 Potted plants set in August and September, witli favorable weather, 

 v^^ill generally make a nice row, as thickly matted as they should be. 

 If you see your rows will be too thick, it is well to remove the sur- 

 plus runners. 



As to varieties, try a few of the standard ones, discarding those 

 ihat do not do well, but never discard a variety after only one A'ear's 

 trial; one season is not a fair test. We would recommend Excelsior 

 and Beder-wood for extra early; Haveriand, Jessie and Bubach for 

 medium, and Aroma and Gandy for late. These are all standard 

 varieties and will succeed most anywhere. There are scores of others, 

 and a test of them may find you one that is peculiarh' adapted to 

 your soil and locality. 



Wood ashes are recommended by many as an excellent fertilizer 

 for strawberries and in some soils, it is claimed, they give wonderful 

 results. We have abandoned their use at Glasgow, as we cannot get 

 our plants to withstand the dry weather vvhere we have used them. 

 Ji may be our soil has an abundance of potash. 



Try them in a limited way first and watch the results. 



Along in the fall, about Thanksgiving, when the ground is 

 frozen, cover with wheat straw, if obtainable, about deep enough to 

 liide the plants, but not too deep. Leaves and cornstalks will also 

 do for a mulch. In the spring, about April ist, remove all the mulch 

 into the paths between the rows to keep down the weeds, hold moist- 

 ure and keep the fruit clean. 



Take up some plants each spring and set a few new rows so the 

 old ones may be turned under after bearing two or three crops. This 

 is where most people lose out on strawberries ; they plant a bed and 



