STRAWBERRIES. 193 



depends on a right start in life, even in a strawberry bed. 

 There are no abtruse difficulties in properly imbedding a 

 plant. One would think, if a workman gave five minutes' 

 thought and observation to the subject, he would know ex- 

 actly how to do it; if one used his head as well as his 

 hands it would be perfectly obvious that a plant set with 

 its roots spread out, so that the fresh, moist earth could 

 come in contact with each fiber, would stand a far better 

 chance than one set out any other way. And }et, in spite 

 of all I can say or do, I have never been able to prevent 

 very many of my plants from being set too deeply, so that 

 the crown and tender leaves were covered and smothered 

 with earth, or not deep enough, thus leaving some of the 

 roots exposed. Many others bury the roots in a long, 

 tangled bunch ; others hastily scoop out a shallow hole, in 

 which the roots are placed in the form of a half circle, with 

 the roots which should be down in the cool, moist depths 

 of the soil turned up toward or to the very surface." 



And yet, as Mr. Roe further remarks, "It is almost as 

 easy to set out a plant properly as otherwise," and the re- 

 sults are certainly very different. 



Here is the right way to plant a strawberry. Make a 

 hole deep enough to put the roots, spread out in a fan-like 

 circle, down for their full length into the soil, holding the 

 plant in the left hand ; fill in with the right hand, pressing 

 firmly around the roots ; when the soil is even with the 

 surface, press with both hands as close to the plant as pos- 

 sible, putting on your full weight until the crown is just 

 even with the surface ; if you can pull the plant up again 

 by taking hold of the leaves, you have not made it as firm 

 as it should be. 



This method may seem hard and slow, but once it is 

 learned it can be done very quickly. The negro women 

 around Norfolk, Va., frequently set between two and 



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