BOOK OF THE HOME GARDEN 



it will cover the ground, then your berries will have 

 a mat on which to lie and you will have clean, instead 

 of dirty, gritty berries. Salt hay makes the nicest 

 mat because it is so fine, soft and pliable, does not 

 rot quickly or get moldy and is free from weed and 

 grass seeds. 



Strawberries are queer in one respect : some va- 

 rieties have perfect flowers, others imperfect flow- 

 ers ; this does not mean that the shape is imperfect, 

 it means that they have only the mother part of the 

 flower ; there are no stamens with pollen to fertilize 

 the seeds. If you should choose a variety that had 

 no stamens you would have to plant a few of a 

 variety that had stamens so the seeds could be ferti- 

 lized and the berry ripen. Therefore be careful in 

 choosing your berries to notice whether they are 

 perfect or imperfect varieties. The most beautiful 

 and finest flavored strawberry I know is named 

 "Chesapeake" and its flowers are perfect. 



Currants and Gooseberries are also fine for small 

 gardens. The bushes live many years and the fruit 

 is delicious when fully ripe. We buy young bushes, 

 and the holes where they are to be planted should 

 have humus in the bottom, and the earth you take 

 out of the hole should have wood ashes mixed with 

 it before you pack it around the roots. The humus 



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