THE PLOKAL WORLD AND GAEDEN aUIDE. 



continue long in bearing. But greasy 

 clays may be improved by liberal 

 dressings every autumn with the ashes 

 of charred rubbish, and in spring 

 with half-rotten dung. Strawberries 

 may be obtained in good seasons in 

 tolerable abundance from almost any 

 kind of soil or situation, but the pre- 

 cariousness of the crop, and its in- 

 feriority both in quantity and quality 

 when placed under unfavourable 

 circumstances, are sufEcient reasons 

 for tbe exercise of discretion and 

 spirit in the culture, for when liberally 

 treated there is no plant in our gar- 

 dens that makes a better average re- 

 turn on outlay than the strawberry. 

 Therefore, it is, we advise the grower 

 never to plant under trees, to dig and 

 manure without stint, and to lose no 

 reasonable opportunity of improving 

 the plantations. 



Planting.— It depends so much 

 on the state of the plants whether it 

 is well or ill to plant at this or that 

 season, that no definite rule can be 

 laid down. We wish to be distinctly 

 understood on this point. We have 

 planted strawberries in every month 

 of the whole year without accident of 

 any kind. Well rooted plants can 

 always be lifted with good balls when 

 they are simply to be moved to another 

 part of the same garden, and plants 

 in pots can always be turned out 

 without brealcing the balls, even if 

 loaded with fruit, without injury. But 

 when the plants are taken up in nur- 

 series ; much of the soil shaken from 

 the roots ; the plants then packed 

 for transit ; perhaps exposed in a 

 London seedman's Avindow before 

 being sold — there will be so much 

 exhaustion that the plants must have 

 time to recover before they can fruit 

 satisfactorily. Therefore, those who 

 plant stock supplied from a dis- 

 tance had best plant in August or 

 September ; if the plantation is made 

 in spring, February is a good time to 

 plant, as the plants have still time to 

 make roots before fruiting, but if ob- 

 tained in puts they may be put out at 

 any time, but best from the beginning 

 of February to the end of March, or 

 from the end of August to the end of 

 October. Plant at distances suited 

 to the habit of the variety. Such as 



British Queen, Nonpareil, Goliath, 

 require to be two and ahalf feet be- 

 tween the plants, and the rows three 

 feet apart. Varieties less robust in 

 habit, such as Black Prince, Welling- 

 ton, Comte de Paris, etc., one foot to 

 eighteen inches between the plants, 

 and two feet from row to row. All 

 the varieties will bear well at less 

 distances, but the distances we give 

 will pay the best in the end, fur the 

 rows can be stirred and manured con- 

 veniently, and the free cir<-ulation of 

 air amonj^st the plants will give the 

 fruit its full size, colour, and flavour. 

 We see everynhere crowded planta- 

 tions, and we never ask about the re- 

 sult, knowing that the possessors of 

 these plots have really no clear idea 

 of what strawberry plants should 

 produce with good culture. Plant 

 firm, water liberally if the weather is 

 dry, and continue till rain comes. If 

 possible plant when there is a pro- 

 bability of rain following, and in any 

 case of planting durinji hot, sunny 

 weather, cover the plants with large 

 inverted pots from ten to five every 

 day, and always leave them uncovered 

 at night. Dispense with the shading 

 as soon as possible, and if possible 

 remove the pots during cloudy or 

 showery weather. 



Summer Cultuee. — With all the 

 ■ wonders of liquid manure, there is 

 no crop on which it produces a more 

 marked effect to the profit of the 

 cultivator than the strawberry. It 

 should not only be used while the 

 fruit is swelling and till it begins 

 to colour, but after the fruit is all 

 gathered, to swell up the crowns for 

 next year's crop. Manure water 

 should be given twice a-week, and 

 the best is made by stirring fresh 

 sheep's dung in soft water, and using 

 the liquid quite clean. Clear soot 

 water is of great value where the soil 

 is tbin and sandy, and on old garden 

 soils, sulphate of ammonia, half an 

 ounce to every gallon of water, may 

 be used with great advantage. It is of 

 great importance to keep the ground 

 clear of weeds, and frequent hoeing 

 between the rows v» ill be very bene- 

 ficial, especially where watering can- 

 not be regularly practised, as the 

 absorption of dews and light thowera 



