On the Cultivation of the Strmobcrry. 303 



berries large for this class, but small, compared with the other 

 classes. The red and white Wood are too well known to 

 need any description. 



There are several new kinds of strawberries lately raised, 

 but which have not yet become cultivated enougli to ascer- 

 tain, fully, their merits ; some which are reported as fine, 

 are, Knevett's new pine, Myatt's seedling-, and Bishop's or- 

 ange. We have raised several seedlings ourselves, from 

 cross impregnation, and think that we shall save from a 

 number, two or three varieties, which will prove much more 

 valuable in our climate, than most any of the existing kinds. 



Strawberries are cultivated from seed, by runners, and by 

 division of the root ; from the former to get new kinds, and 

 the two latter to increase the stock ; the bush Alpine can 

 only be increased by division of the root. Strawberries 

 should be grown in an open situation, exposed to the sun, 

 and not shaded by trees ; in the former site they grow strong, 

 and bear well ; in the latter they run up weak, and produce 

 but little fruit. 



Strawberries are cultivated in beds, rows, or in hills ; 

 some adopt one, and some the other method, and each have 

 their advocates ; we prefer, however, their cultivation in 

 beds. Some writers recommend planting in the fall, and 

 others in the spring ; and each have had such good success, 

 as appears from their statements, that it seems immaterial 

 which. We have tried both ways ourselves, but we rather 

 prefer fall planting to the spring, provided it is done previous 

 to, or early in, September ; later than that, we would defer 

 till April. 



The soil we would recommend for strawberries is a rich, 

 deep loam ; this, particularly for pines and scarkts^ we are 

 confident will grow them better than any other ; the woods 

 and hautbois prefer a lighter one. The distance at which 

 the former should be set, is recommended at twenty-four 

 inches from row to row, and eighteen inches apart in the 

 tows ; we have never adopted this plan, thinking it to be a 

 waste of land ; but from repeated trials, we are now convinc- 

 ed, that, like many other of the errors which have crept 

 into our system of gardening, especially the prevalent notion 

 of crowding of plants together, it is a mistaken idea ; planted 

 so near together, they soon form one mass of foliage, and 

 the runners rooting so close, the main roots have no chance 

 of receiving any nourishment ; the sun cannot penetrate 

 into the soil through the leaves, nor the air have any effect 

 upon the plants ; the consequence is, that the vines are 

 weak, the fruit late in ripening, of very small size, without 

 color, and almost tasteless. It may l3e said, that the run- 

 ners can be kept cut off, and thus prevent such confusion ; 



