Training the Plant 99 



REMOVING SURPLUS RUNNERS 



This is the most laborious task in strawberry-growing 

 and the one most commonly neglected. There are two 

 methods of handling surplus runners; to treat them as 

 weed parasites and remove them as soon as they appear, 

 or to let them root and then remove them in the autumn. 

 The first method conserves the strength of the remaining 

 plants, and is preferable except in matted row training. 



Controlling the width of the matted row. 



There are two distinct problems ; to keep the plants in 

 narrow rows, so that the inter-spaces may be tilled effec- 

 tively ; and to prevent the plants in the row from setting 

 too close. These are conflicting purposes; the method 

 that is most effective for restricting the width of the row 

 — frequent use of the cultivator — throws the runners 

 back upon the mother plants and results in crowding 

 within the row. G. L. Perrine, of Illinois, advises : " Avoid 

 the crowded matted row by spreading the row very rapidly. 

 When the plants begin to form, instead of crowding them 

 together with the cultivator, we allow the row to widen 

 rapidly ; then if it gets too wide, simply cut it down with 

 the cultivator or disk." This method, however, precludes 

 thorough tillage in a period when weeds grow rapidly 

 and drouth is imminent. 



If the runners are not bedded, the cultivator may be 

 used to throw them around in a line with the row. The 

 cultivator should be run the same way at each working 

 so that there will be less danger of pulling up the partially- 

 rooted runners. After the space between the mother 

 plants is filled, the cultivator is run a little farther from 

 the plant at each working. 



