318 THE GARDExNER. [July 



but rather their treatment from now on to the end of the next three 

 months, that will be the means of producing a superior crop. Exposing 

 the crowns well now, keeping them free from superfluous runners and 

 weeds, placing a thin coating of manure between the plants where the 

 soil is becoming poor, and hoeing the surface soil occasionally, are a 

 few of the means to be employed to insure success in following years. 

 Plants treated in this way now may want looking to a number of times 

 before the winter, but after that they will be safe, and will need little 

 or no more care until weeds and runners come again about this time 

 next year. Mulching may be done with two objects — one, to improve 

 the soil and plants, the other, to keep the fruit clean ; or the two 

 reasons may be combined, and mulch to secure all these benefits,— and 

 in this case September or October is the time to do it. Some use 

 their grass-cuttings for putting round their Strawberry plants, and 

 others use short straw or hay ; and both of these materials answer 

 very well for keeping the fruit from mixing with the soil, but further 

 than this their usefulness does not extend, as there is no fertilising 

 properties connected with such materials to any extent. For this 

 reason we do not care to use such mulchings, but prefer stable-manure 

 lor the purpose. A mixture of straw and droppings is excellent. 

 When put on in autumn, the fertilising parts are well washed down 

 to the roots during the winter, and only the clean straw remains by 

 fruiting- time. Under this system the surface of the ground about the 

 plants IS constantly covered ; and this does no harm in wet but great 

 good during dry periods ; and hoeing can hardly be done, but hand- 

 weeding may be resorted to. 



In forming new plantations, many advantages follow when the 

 plants are carefully prepared previously. All our young Strawberry 

 plants for the open quarters are rooted in small pots in the same way 

 ^s IS done to get young plants for pot-culture. All the strongest 

 runners are layered into 3-inch pots early in July. By August they 

 have formed nice little balls of roots ; and then they are planted out, 

 when they receive no check, but proceed at once to grow ; and by 

 October they are often as fine plants as many would be at the end of 

 the second year if they were dug up from amongst the old plants in 

 August and planted then, as is the common practice in making new ' 

 Strawberry-beds. Beds -I have said, but this term should not be used, 

 as Strawberry-beds are now out of date. The improved plan, and the 

 one most worthy of being followed, is the style of planting row after 

 row without any formation of bed. 18 inches between the rows, and 

 1 foot from plant to plant, is a profitable distance at which to plant 

 most sorts. Previous to planting, the ground cannot be too well 

 prepared. Moderately heavy is preferable to light sandy soil. If 

 good, depth is not of so much consequence— from 1 to 2 feet being 

 suitable. To these depths, or more, it should be trenched, rough 

 manure being placed at the bottom, and good substantial stuff near 



