THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



67 



and to this end, all runners should be 

 stopped, and frequent hoeings, on dry 

 days, should take place among the 

 plants. By attention to these matters, 

 a splendid crop may be had the first 

 year, and for four years in succession, 

 after which destroy the plants. 



" The distance at which the plants 

 should stand apart, must be regulated 

 by the kinds. The Black Prince, 

 Grove-end Scarlet, &c, do not require 

 the same space as British Queen, 

 Goliath, &c. The latter, that is, the 

 strong growers, I plant at two feet and 

 a half apart in the rows, with three 

 feet between the rows. The smaller 

 sorts are planted eighteen inches apart 

 each way, or one foot in the row, and 

 two feet between. Say not there is 

 thus a waste of ground in the case of 

 larger sorts, for the quantity and 

 quality of fruit procured by ample 

 space, with good culture, is_enormous 

 — almost incredible. For small gar- 

 dens, these distances may be too great, 

 and they are chiefly applicable to 

 places where very superior fruit are 

 expected. Well-prepared ground for 

 Strawberries is good for the crops 

 which follow, so that the extra labour 

 is not lost. 



" A veiy good plan for small holders 

 — and it is adopted in large gardens 

 also — is to form a large mound of soil, 

 either circular, oval, or ridge — in fact, 

 any form. It must be well drained in 

 the centre, by heaps of rough brick 

 rubbish, stones, or even branches. All 

 round, and up this mound, form 

 shelves, about fifteen inches wide, 

 beginning at the bottom. By the 

 edges or sides of the shelves, or little 

 terraces, there should be placed bricks, 

 drain-tiles, stones, or rails, for the 

 purpose of keeping up the soil, and, 

 also for the early ripening, and for 

 the keeping of the fruit clean. The 

 plants are planted close behind the 

 edgings, and the fruit has a fine effect 

 Avheu hanging over the edge. This 

 plan increases space, making small 

 gardens large. One objection to it is, 

 when the plants on the upper tiers are 

 being watered, there is a danger of 

 making those below soddened with 

 wet; but, if proper precautions are 

 used when making the mound, to have 

 sufficient drainage up the centre, and a 



few drain-tiles at intervals in the soil, 

 placed in a slanting position towards 

 the drainage, much risk of getting the 

 bottom ledgestoo wet, may be avoided. 



"I have sometimes thinned the 

 crowns of the plants, but Avithout any 

 marked benefit. Every autumn, how- 

 ever, I have the beds top-dressed, not 

 usually digging between the rows, but 

 have no great objection to forking in 

 the centre of the spaces between the 

 plants. I do not cut off the foliage 

 until it decays, and this is commonly 

 done in the spring of the year. A 

 top-dressing of such as cow-dung, 

 pigeon-dung, and guano, can, at the 

 same time, be given with advantage ; 

 but, if these are unmixed and fresh, 

 they must be used sparingly. Rich 

 top-dressings of decayed stable manure, 

 marl, and leaves are safe at all seasons. 

 If severe frosts occur when the plants 

 are in flower, they must be protected 

 with some dry material, as hexagon, 

 or other light and close netting, par- 

 ticularly in exposed situations. 



" Previous to the fruit ripening, it 

 is a good plan, in the case of early 

 sorts, to lay tiles, or bricks, or circular 

 drain-pipes around the plants, and, 

 for the general crop, to mulch the 

 surface of the ground with strawy 

 manure, or clean straw. Short grass, 

 if free from seeds and slugs, may also 

 be used, although many objections are 

 urged against it. Any of those plans 

 serve to keep the soil from cracking 

 and the fruit clean, and the former 

 especially adds to the ripening, by re- 

 taining and slowly giving out solar 

 heat. In dry weather, a thorough 

 watering will aid the swelling of the 

 fruit, but is seldom necessary if the 

 soil is deep and rich. 



"It is very common that just after 

 the fruit-gathering is over, a time of 

 drought occurs ; and this, also, is 

 usually a time when the strawberry- 

 beds are sorely neglected— not unlike 

 the treatment which bulbs receive 

 after the blooming season is over. 

 Pray avoid this. Know, that now the 

 plant repairs its wasted energies, and 

 should be husbanding up stores of 

 strength for the next year's crop, ere 

 the sun, and light, and rains, and 

 dews, lose their reviving influences. 

 Therefore, take at once, and use all 

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