Strawberries. 



413 



severely by the hand the roots will be torn off. The older and 

 dead leaves should be cut off from the plants, and the roots trim- 

 med to about two and a half inches long. For ordinary field culture 

 they may be set out with a dibble (Fig. 450), care having beenpre- 



Fig. 450. Strawberry plant set out with 

 a dibble or in the common way. 



Fig. 451. Strawberry plant set out 

 by spreading the roots. 



viously taken to immerse the roots in mud to prevent drying. But 

 for more finished or for garden culture, it is better to spread the 

 roots out like the frame of an umbrella (Fig. 451), and set them in 

 a hole broad enough, with a small mound in the centre, on which 

 the spread roots rest, and form a cap, as shown in Fig. 452. 



Fig. 452. Hole for setting the spread roots of a strawberry plant. 



Next to early spring the best season at the North for transplant- 

 ing is just after the crop has been gathered, during the period of 

 suspension in growth which occurs at that time. The plants will 

 immediately take root, become well established before winter, and 

 bear a ood crop the following season. As the weather is often 

 quite dry and warm at this time, precaution must be used to prevent 

 the plants from perishing by drought. All the leaves, except the 

 small central ones, should be cut off, the roots kept wet and care- 

 fully spread out when set, as just described. The earth should be 

 well settled about them with water, and mellow earth then drawn 

 over the surface. A covering of fine manure, an inch or two in 

 thickness, is then spread on the ground to preserve the moisture. 



