THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 273 



attract attention to two methods of culture ; but the substance of 

 our paper shall be strictly experimental and practical. 



September is the season which is most suitable to the preparation 

 of beds and rows of plants ; the season is mild, the ground is usually 

 moist, the sun retains a sufficiency of active power, and the runner- 

 plants are firmly rooted, and can be removed with safety. It is now 

 too late to direct the preparation of these plants ; but in fact nature 

 does the work for us, unless, indeed, every runner shall have been 

 extirpated as it protruded. Presuming, then, that they who possess 

 strawberry-beds and favourite fruit have a stock of young plants, 

 we shall only say that at this season numbers are to be seen which 

 occupy as much space as would be covered by a full-sized saucer, 

 have four to six strong and healthy leaves which surround, and, at 

 their origin closely embrace, a bold, prominent, central bud, which 

 appears firm to the touch. Such are the plants which are fit for the 

 work we contemplate, and they usually are found at the ends of the 

 string which proceeds immediately from the parent stock. In. order 

 to insure fertility, persons ought to know whether that stock is 

 fruitful or not ; for it is quite certain that the largest and most 

 beautiful plants are too often quite barren ; and these are peculiarly 

 productive of runners, whereas few secondaries, comparatively, pro- 

 ceed from these plants which furnish the best fruit. 



Presuming that these preliminary remarks are duly appreciated, 

 we will dwell on them no longer. 



There are three varieties which, if a good garden once possess — 

 true to their kind — will effect all that the most luxurious can desire ; 

 they are indeed " redolent of sweet*." 



1. Keen's Seedling, for abundant early supply. 2. The Old Pinp, 

 for very superior flavour, rather later. 3. The Elton, i.e., "Knight's 

 Elton," late, large, beautiful to the eye, and when perfectly ripe, of 

 very full, peculiarly grateful flavour, tending to acid. But the 

 season and time of bearing of all may be modified by planting each 

 in south, east, and north aspects; and by so doing, if the season be 

 early, warm, moderately showery, yet generally fine, a good supply 

 can be obtained from the first week of June to that of August. 



Prepare the ground three weeks before it is wanted, trench two 

 feet deep, manure with rather recent stable dung to the bottom, but 

 not very profusely; a good turfy loam, free and velvety, is above all 

 things desirable. No bad earth should be brought to the top ; it will 

 be safer, as Keen observes, to simply dig the lower spit to add the 

 fresh dung upon that, and to keep the good upper soil at top, 

 effectually digging and pulverizing it. 



The plants and land being ready, we will first allude to the 

 method adopted by the Rev. T. Gamier, and thus described in the 

 Transactions of the Horticultural Society. It implies the annual 

 renewal of all the beds, but he begins his operations earlier than 

 experience would permit us to recommend. 



" Early in August, or as soon as the gatherings are over, I destroy 

 all my beds, and proceed immediately to trench, form, and manure 

 them in the manner before directed, to receive the plants for the 

 crop of the onsuing year, taking care to select for that purpose the 



September. 18 



