266 GARDEXIXG FOR PLEASURE. 



heaviest berries of this collection. It is of fine flayer, a 

 good bearer, and has now become a standard sort. 



Parry. — One of the earliest large berries, of great 

 beauty, excellent quality, prolific, and one of the very 

 hardiest and strongest growers. 



Jewell (figure 88). A comparatively new variety, orig- 

 inated in 1880. It is of the largest size, perfect form, 

 color bright red changing to crimson, of medium earli- 

 ness ; an enormous cropper, sometimes reaching four 

 hundred bushels per acre. 



The Hoffman. — This is now the most popular berry for 

 the Southern States. It is of medium size, average flavor, 

 but a most abundant bearer and strong grower, and, 

 above all, has the requisite solidity or firmness essential 

 for distant carriage. 



FORCING STRAWBERRIES. 



The three-quarter span greenhouses (already described 

 and illustrated in the chapter on Greenhouse Structures), 

 or the lean-to style, as advised for forcing graperies, are 

 equally adapted, with slight modification, for the forcing 

 of Strawberries. This modification i.s in having the 

 benches or tables raised, so as to be as near the glass as 

 it is practicable to have them, as shown by the sketch (fig- 

 ure 89) of end section annexed. The proper preparation of 

 the plants for Strawberry forcing is indispensable to suc- 

 cess. This is best done by layering the runners in small 

 pots, as described under the head of *' Strawberry Cul- 

 ture." The layers may be placed in the pots at any time 

 from the middle of July to September 1st. When the 

 pot is filled with roots (which will be in about two or 

 three weeks from the time the Strawberry runner is 

 placed in it), it is taken up and shifted into a four-inch 

 pot in soil four-fifths turfy loam to one-fifth rotted cow 

 dung, to which may be added a sliglit sprinkling of pure 

 bone dust — say a handful to every bushel of soil. 



