300 VILLA GARDENING part hi 



certain, and it will be the cheapest in the end. To afford pro- 

 tection from birds nets must be used. For preserving late fruit 

 it is a good plan to fence a piece of land in with a framework 

 strong enough to support a net, which is drawn over when the 

 fruit begins to ripen. I know a garden where the Strawberries 

 and bush fruits are worked on this principle. One set of nets 

 does for both, as the early Strawberries are generally cleared off 

 by the time the Gooseberry and Currant quarter is ready for cover- 

 ing. Single bushes may be covered with mats or hexagon netting, 

 and this protects them from wasps. 



Varieties — Beds: The Red Dutch, Warner's Grape, The 

 Cherry (very large), Raby Castle (very late). Whites: White 

 Dutch, Transparent White. 



CHAPTER XII 



The Stra-wberry in the Open Air. — The jireparation of the 

 ground for this crop is a very important matter. It should be 

 deeply worked, and in fair condition as regards manure, , though 

 it is not a good plan to dig in long stable manure just previous to 

 planting, for this prevents the land from consolidating sufficiently 

 for the roots to obtain that grasp of it which is essential for the 

 proper development of Ijroad short -stalked foliage and plump 

 mature luids or crowns. It is a good plan to trench up a piece of 

 land in winter of sufficient extent for the new Strawberry bed, 

 manm'ing it according to its condition. In February plant it with 

 early Potatoes, and when the Potatoes are lifted in July have the 

 Strawberry plants ready in small pots for tiu-ning out. This 

 system makes the most of the land. The Strawberries which have 

 been forced in pots for early fruit will do admirably, as they in- 

 variably bear heavy crops the first year after planting. Before 

 planting, the ground may have, if necessary, a dressing of soot or 

 some artificial manure. I am assuming that the dressing of yard 

 manure which was given in winter will still, to a great extent, 

 remain in the land, and just be in fit condition for the roots 

 of the Strawberry plants to utilise. In the preparation of the 

 land for Strawberries its general character must be kept in view. 

 If very light a dressing of clay or heavy loam will be of great 

 benefit. It should be i^laced on the surface, and lightly forked. 

 The land for Strawberries should be in firm compact condition ; 

 the solid firmness of iinmoved or unworked land will not do. If 

 the Strawberries, as I have suggested, follow immediately in the 

 wake of the early Potatoes, the surface-soil will be in a nice friable 



