GROWING STRAWBERRY PLANTS FOR RE-SETTINQ. 301 



plants in competition with those that are advertised by many grow- 

 ers at prices that I do not consider a fair compensation for the best 

 that are produced under the most favorable conditions. 



I have noticed that a dry July and August is almost invariably 

 followed by plenty of rain later on. 



By the first method, with a little care and some labor, plants 

 can be made to form from four to six inches apart over the whole 

 surface which makes ideal plants and an enviable reputation for the 

 grower. The latter method insures many good plants, and as an off- 

 set for the difference in the result of the two methods a good crop 

 of fruit can often be secured by leaving a hedge row of plants to 

 bear and a redistribution of the mulch over the entire surface dug 

 over. I find the strawberry a very vigorous and persistent plant, 

 and it often succeeds under adverse circumstances. 



If one is only raising plants on a small scale, the layering pro- 

 cess never fails, but it can not be profitably followed in commercial 

 planting. 



I would not be averse to planting on ground that had not been 

 fitted the previous year, if rich enough for most garden crops, but 

 would not manure the same season unless by top dressing in early 

 fall if plants had set plentifully. 



I mulch before the ground is frozen to a depth of six inches with 

 well threshed barley straw. It remains in position the best of any- 

 thing I have used by reason of its fineness, and it is generally quite 

 free from foul seed. 



OPENING OFTHE NEW HORTICULTURAL HALL, 

 BOSTON. 



Possibly never before in American history has a building de- 

 voted to the uses of Horticulture been opened to the public with so 

 much eclat as attended the function of the Massachusetts Horticul- 

 tural Society this week. The doors of this half-million dollar struc- 

 ture were formally opened to the public at 8 p. m. on Monday, June 

 3, and in less than an hour 2,000 visitors had passed in. These were 

 mostly members of the most aristocratic families of Boston and dis- 

 trict. It was fitting that such a congregation should be received by 

 the most aristocratic of Flora's Kingdom, and of these there were 

 never before in this country such an assembly. The most recherche 

 of every country and clime had been brought together. Representa- 

 tives of tropical America and of the islands of the seas vied with 

 those from India and from Japan. 



