346 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



If you like, I will write you about plants and flowers, and my method of 

 killing the slugs (or their parents) which are such a blight to rose bushes. 



I am very fond of gardening, and have quite a nice selection of herbaceous 

 plants not in general cultivation. This year I expect some great results 

 from the application of some new dressing to the hyacinths and tulips. 



STRAWBERRIES. 



R. Gr. Pardee. — It depends upon fair treatment to make this plant bear 

 abundantly every year. But it needs experience of the different sorts, to be 

 successful, because the varieties have different habits. In Spring, rake back 

 the straw from the crown of the plants, and let it lie between rows. Sprinkle 

 with soap suds every few days. Pull out the weeds as fast as they appear. 



I never cut off runners. In October, I rake off all the lightly struck 

 runners, and then select vigorous old or new plants to stand for bearers next 

 year, and turn under the others, and cover in the fall again with straw or 

 leaves. The ground being well prepared in the first place, don't need con- 

 tinual working. The most prolific bearer is the Wilson seedling. I do 

 do not esteem Peabody's seedling as a fine flavored berry. Hovey's seed- 

 ling is not so good as his Boston pine. Very few know what a good straw- 

 berry is. I once simulated my vines so much that they grew all leaves 

 and stems, and no fruit. In preparing ground for a bed, I would fork it 

 very deep, say two feet, and dress with ashes or leaf mold — never with 

 animal manure. I would put rare plants in rows three feet apart, and two 

 feet in the rows. Cover the ground half an inch deep with tan bark. If I 

 could not get tan I would use sawdust or leaves from the woods. Straw or 

 salt hay, or rowen, will do for a mulch. There are four things that will 

 prevent you from growing strawberries. 



1st. You do not prepare the ground well. 



2d. You must have a good variety of plants. 



3d. You must not use any kind of animal manure, and nothing that will 

 make the vines grow rankly. 



4th. You must keep the ground clear, but you must not use the hoe ; 

 hoeing destroys more strawberry plants than anything else. Use your 

 fingers and the fork to get out weeds and loosen the soil. 



In preparing for a bed use the lime and salt mixture freely. While 

 crowing use soap suds ; also, solution of sulphate of potash, one or two 

 ounces to a pail full of water. Nitrate of soda in the same proportion, is 

 a good substance also to apply to strawberries. 



Wm. Lawton. — I think a great deal of Peabody's new strawberry. It 

 is a prodigious strong grower. The leaf stalk is long and fruit stem short. 

 I think the flavor excellent. It has a peculiar aroma and flavor. I know 

 many persons utterly condemn it ; I do not. 



SOIL FOR STRAWBERRIES. 



Solon Robinson. — There is this one fact to be borne in mind in regard to 

 good soil for strawberries. In any southern exposure, where the soil is 

 loamy and rich in leaf mold, strawberries can be successfully grown by 



