224 THE BOOK OF USEFUL PLANTS 



fragrance, one of the delightful qualities of this 

 delicious and beautiful fruit. 



Growing strawberries for market is hard and 

 exacting work, requiring that the worker stoop 

 continually in taking care of the plants and pick- 

 ing the fruit. To get the berries to market in the 

 best condition requires that they be picked at just 

 the ripe state, and kept from being roughly handled 

 in transit. The best way to have perfect berries 

 is to grow them. This can be made a delightful 

 pastime, free from too much hard work. Get 

 plants of the best possible variety and grow them 

 to perfection. That is a job that brings its own 

 reward. 



To enjoy the growing of strawberries one must 

 know the habits of the plants. From the crown 

 a thick brush of fibrous roots go down, and a 

 number of leaves go up. Among the leaves the 

 flower stems rise, and fruit follows the flowers. 

 After the fruiting season passes, the plant sends 

 up long stems that creep out in all directions, and 

 strike root at the joints. So these looping "run- 

 ners" set out new plants, wherever they get hold 

 of the soil. The stems between the new and 

 old plants die, in time, and a family of vigorous, 

 and independent youngsters surround the parent. 



Another method of producing new plants is 



