THE FRUIT GARDEN 



207 



FIG. 67. Matted row system of raising strawberries. 



to be set 30 inches apart. In setting out the plants care 

 should be taken not to set the plant so shallow as to have 

 some of the roots exposed, nor on the other hand should it 

 be set so deep as to cover the growing part of the plant. 

 (See figure 68.) 



The soil should be hoed frequently the same as for any 

 plants, and the blossoms that appear in the spring should 

 be picked off. If these blossoms are allowed to develop, 

 the berries will not be worth picking ; whereas if the flowers 

 are picked, more nourishment goes to the roots and they be- 

 come stronger and better fitted for the work to be done later 

 in the season. The runners should be cut off with a sharp 

 hoe or a pair of scissors. As a result larger and better berries 

 are obtained. It is also much easier to keep out the weeds. 



During the middle of the summer, blossoms appear again 

 and these may be allowed to grow. In about three months 



