XIIL] STRAWBERRY CULTURE 135 



should be cut off as they appear, so as to throw all the 

 strength into the main crown of the plant. The leaves 

 ought not to be cut off, only the lower withered ones 

 trimmed, the ground hoed, and all the surface strewn 

 with stable litter ; the nutritive part of this will be carried 

 to the roots by the winter rains ; the straw makes a clean 

 ground for the fruit to rest on, while it tends to prevent 

 evaporation in dry seasons. Irrigation is desirable at 

 such times. Fresh beds should be made in succession 

 every third or fourth year. Of the earlier sorts, Royal 

 Sovereign, Leader, and President are not to be surpassed. 

 Next in succession Sir J. Paxton will be found a great 

 cropper, and the Elton Pine a fine late kind. 



Raspberries are easily grown. Fay's Prolific, Carter's 

 Prolific, or Bunyartfs Superlative are well worth planting, 

 only care must be taken that the ground has been pre- 

 viously cultivated (e.g. with a crop of potatoes), so that 

 no particle of such a pest as bindweed may be left, for 

 once they are planted raspberries must not be disturbed by 

 the spade. 



In the early summer thin out the young growths by 

 pulling up the superfluous ones. The old canes should 

 be cut out as soon as they have done fruiting and a, 

 mulching of manure laid over the roots. 



Currants need very simple autumn pruning. The Red 

 and White should have the side shoots of the summer's 

 new growth shortened back to a couple of eyes, and 

 the main leaders to five or six eyes, more or less, as 



