On Preparing Straivherrtj Plants for Forcing. 253 



Art. VI. On Preparing Straicherrij Plants for Forcing. By J. W. 



Russell. 



The forcins; of strawberries is a practice very little adopted, I be- 

 lieve, in this country. In England they are brought to market from 

 March to July ; and command, at first, the enormous price of $2s. 

 sterling, per ounce. They are forced as easily as any other fruit, and 

 although thev may not prove so productive, and give as good returns 

 to the market gardener, in this country, as other forced fruit, or even 

 vegetables, they will undoubtedly be grown in gentlemen's gardens 

 as a luxury, for the gratification of themselves and their friends. 



The method I would recommend is as follows : — In the early part 

 of next month, after the fruit is gathered, and the plants besin to 

 grow rapidly, go over the beds and take off all the weak and small 

 runners. Let the soil next to the beds be dug up, and enriched with 

 some good old rotten hot-bed manure or leaf mould : then prepare a 

 quantity of small pegs, which can be quickly made out of old brush, 

 in order to fasten each runner to the soil ; go over all in this man- 

 ner, covering them at least half an inch deep. This practice should 

 be continued until a sufficient number are procured, or until the first 

 of August, after which they will not answer, as the plants will not 

 get strong before cold weather. When they have made good roots, 

 which can easily be perceived by their strong growth, (generally in 

 about a fortnight.) they should be taken up and potted ; put three 

 plants m a number three pot, and set them in the shade for a ie-w 

 days, till they have made new roots ; the pots may then be plunged 

 in the ground, in a cool and rather shady part of the garden, where 

 they should remain until frost ; plunging the pots in the ground, 

 saves the trouble of watering, and also keeps the soil in a moist 

 state. Nothing is more injurious to strawberry plants in pots, than 

 to have the soil continually wet and dry ; and unless plunged in the 

 ground, our searching winds and hot sun, are sure to dry up all the 

 moisture, althoufrh they may be watered twice a day. 



The soil I prefer, and which I think the plants grow stronir and 

 bear profusely in, is composed of two parts strong loam, and one part 

 decayed manure or leaf mould, broken up well and turned over two 

 or three times before using. The pots should be well drained bv 

 placing a potshred over the hole in the bottom. In the fall of the 

 year, those that are wanted for early forcing should be taken up and 

 placed in a fi-ame ; upon the approach of severe cold, they should 

 be covered with four or five inches of leaves, straw, or old haulm. 

 Those left in the open ground should also be protected, so that they 

 can be easily taken up in the months of February and March, as 

 they are wanted for a succession ; the plants may be occasionally 

 watered with liquid manure. 



Yours, J. W , Russell. 



Mount Auburn, Cambridge, June 20, 1835. 



