138 FRUIT BOOK. 



depend upon for supplies of new food in the 

 spring, must be, to a considerable extent, de- 

 stroyed." Strawberry beds in this latitude should 

 be covered in the fall with leaves, straw, litter, or 

 seaweed ; this last article we have used in pre- 

 ference to any other material, as it is not subject 

 to heat and rot, and is more easily removed in 

 the spring. 



The method of cultivating the strawberry in 

 hills, we approve, particularly for the larger 

 growing varieties. Cutting off the runners as 

 they appear ; the roots will, under this treatment, 

 throw out a greater quantity of fruit, arid larger 

 berries. This course of culture is peculiarly well 

 adapted for a weedy soil, as these are more easily 

 eradicated from around the plants. 



The practice of Keen, already quoted, is as 

 follows, " After the beds are planted, I keep them 

 as clear of weeds as possible, and on no account 

 allow any other crop to be planted between the 

 rows. In the autumn I always have the rows 

 dug between, for I find it refreshes the plants 

 materially ; and I recommend to those to whom it 

 may be convenient, to scatter in the spring, very 

 lightly, some loose straw or long dung between 

 the rows. It serves to keep the ground moist, 

 enriches the strawberry, and forms a clean bed 

 for the trusses of fruit to lie upon." We should 

 not coincide with the above directions entirely, 

 particularly in digging between the rows in au- 

 tumn, believing with a distinguished cultivator of 

 this fruit, that, " by shortening the lateral roots in 

 autumn, the plants not only lose the true sap 

 which such roots abundantly contain, but the or- 

 gans themselves, which the plants must depend 



