OCTOBER. 297 



county of Suffolk, in which he resided, but judicious summer thinning 

 was always attended to. 



Mr. George M'Ewen, late of Arundel, but now of Bretton Hall, was 

 here ushered into the witness-box amid plaudits. He stated that 

 many years ago he came to the conclusion that, with well-drained 

 borders and thorough ripening of the wood, spring coverings, as 

 generally practised, were unnecessary. He also stated that he highly 

 approved of temporary coping, put on just as the blossoms begin to 

 expand, and removed when the fruit is fairly set. He further stated 

 that, notwithstanding these views, he could conceive conditions in which 

 it might be commendable to protect ; but not as a general rule. 



At this stage of the proceedings an adjournment was asked for and 

 granted, in consequence of several of the witnesses not being forth- 

 coming ; therefore we must defer till our next the continuation of this 

 important case. 



Thomas W. Abbott. 



Ribston Park, Wetherhy. 



STRAWBERRY PLANTING. 



I SEND you a few hints on preparing ground, and planting this useful 

 fruit, for insertion in your periodical. 



Choice of soil : a deep soft, unctuous loam is the best ; next, a clayey 

 or marly loam, if not too heavy ; lastly, sandy loam ; but avoid dry 

 sandy soil, or very shallow soils on gravel, unless you have great 

 command of water. Clayey soils should be mixed with road scrapings, 

 leaf soil, or any porous material, in addition to the dung prescribed. 



Trench the ground, whatever it may be, two feet deep, if you can — 

 if not, eighteen inches. Do not throw up to the surface, however, the 

 subsoil, if raw and clayey, but fork it up and allow it to lie at the 

 bottom ; mix thoroughly the soil, as the trenching proceeds, a good 

 dressing of rotten dung, using more of it where the soil is light, for 

 which cow and pig dung are preferable. When the trenching is done 

 level the surface, and fork in a few inches deep some very rotten leaf 

 soil or manure. All is now ready for the plants : to prepare these we 

 must go back to the end of June, when the runners first push. Mix 

 up a few barrowfuls of rich light soil ; take a trowel, and with it remove 

 a good handful of soil whereabouts the runners can be laid ; fill up the 

 hole with the compost, and in it place the young plant, making it firm, 

 and see that future growths from it are duly pinched back, water occa- 

 sionally when dry, and in three weeks you will have fine healthy 

 plants with a good handful of roots, ready to take into the new soil when 

 planted. Nearly all our great men recommend layering Strawberries 

 in pots, both for forcing and planting out. This takes up a deal of time, 

 the plants are difficult to secure properly in the pots, and they require 

 close watching to keep them moist in dry weather ; and, lastly, if not 

 taken off directly, the roots reach the sides of the pots, they get matted, 

 and do not progress so satisfactorily afterwards ; whereas, by simply 



