506 THE GARDENER. [Nov. 



When they stop growing, give them water to keep them from flagging 

 only, until they begin growing again. They must then be examined, 

 the most of the old soil taken off them, and most likely a size larger 

 pot, — and so on from year to year. We find them unsurpassed for 

 drawing-room decoration. They are always attractive, whether in 

 flower or not, and seem to be special favourites with our ladies. 



Castle Semple. 



THE CULTIVATION OF HARDY FRUITS. 



{Continued f 7^0111 page 4G8. ) 



THE STRAWBERRY. 



The soil which is best suited for the Strawberry is a heavy loamy clay, in which 

 all except the scarlet varieties will succeed best. For the scarlet class — that is to 

 say, Grovend's Scarlet and suchlike — the soil best suited is a good rich loam of 

 a mediiim texture, in which they will produce immense crops. I know a market- 

 garden, within a very short distance from here, where the soil is a heavy blue 

 clay, similar to that generally used for brick-making — in fact, the adjoining field 

 is at the present time in full working order as a brick-work, and in which the 

 finest and largest crops of Strawberries I ever saw are annually grown. I must 

 not forget also to inform the reader that, besides all this, the plants bear fruit to 

 a very great age, as indeed, at the present time, there is a plot of the old Chili 

 Strawberry planted seventeen years ago, and which yearly produces first-rate 

 crops. This is the oldest plantation in the garden, but there are several others 

 over ten years of age, and bearing very large crops. The present has been a 

 most unusually bad year for the Strawberry-grower ; nevertheless, in the garden 

 referred to, fair crops have been the result. In one instance, however, the most 

 enormous crop I ever saw, or perhaps ever was grown anywhere, was produced 

 there during the past season. The variety grown was Robertson's Wizard of 

 the North, a fine free-bearing variety, and the space of ground occupied by them 

 was about 16 Scotch poles. From these 16 poles the enormous quantity of about 

 1 ton of fruit was gathered,* reahsing to the grower something about or over £30 

 sterling. I saw the crop before it was pulled, and can fully believe the accuracy 

 of the grower's statement. The ground had more the appearance of having had 

 hamperf uls of fruit tumbled upon it than the reality of bearing a living, growing 

 crop. If the grower had been fortunate enough to have had an acre or two of 

 this, as he has of some other varieties, it is easy to calculate what an enormous 

 sum per acre he must have realised — something about or over £300 — a sum we 

 venture to think which never has been equalled, if ever surpassed, in the history 

 of market-gardening. While we thus speak of this one variety, it must not be 

 considered that this is the only one that succeeds well, for almost every variety 

 grown there produces larger and better crops than are to be found in any 

 other garden in the county. I of course exclude, as I said before, the scarlet 

 class, and with them I may also exclude the Keen's Seedling, which never has 



* We have seen marvellous crops of the Wizard ; but while we do not doubt 

 Mr M'Millan has been informed that 1 ton has been gathered from 16 poles, we 

 do doubt the accuracy of the calculations that show such a result. — Ed. 



