206 SCIENCE OF HOME AND COMMUNITY 



siderably less, thus allowing a larger number of plants to be 

 grown. To compensate for this crowding, the soil will need 

 larger amounts of fertilizers and thorough cultivation. 



Fall or everbearing strawberries. One of the most inter- 

 esting developments in the fruit world during recent years 

 has been the appearance of the fall, or everbearing, straw- 

 berry. This has the great advantage that it bears fruit 

 the same year it is planted. It is set out in the early spring 

 at the time the first seeds are planted in the vegetable garden, 

 and in about three months it begins to bear fruit, at about 

 the time we get our first corn and tomatoes. It continues 

 bearing till the heavy frosts of the fall kill the blossoms. 

 Every garden can have its fall strawberries as easily as it 

 has peas and corn. 



The plants should be ordered during the winter from some 

 reliable nurseryman. They cost more than ordinary straw- 

 berries, but after the first expense the gardener can raise 

 his own plants, as explained later in the chapter. Among the 

 best varieties are Progressive and Superb. The best variety 

 will be different for different localities. In southern Minne- 

 sota the author tried three varieties side by side and found 

 that the Progressive yielded six times as many berries as 

 Americus, and twelve times as many as Superb. In other 

 localities the results would be different, but one can soon 

 learn after one or two trials the variety best adapted to his 

 conditions. 



The plants should be set in the spring as soon as the ground 

 can be worked. Two systems have been used for growing 

 strawberries, the hill system and the matted -row system. 

 In the hill system the runners are all kept cut off ; in the 

 matted-row system, they are allowed to grow and form a 

 mat. (See figure 67.) For the fall strawberries the hill 

 system is better. In a small garden where the cultivation 

 is to be done by hand, the plants may be set from 18 to 24 

 inches apart each way. For horse cultivation, they will need 



