V2 SMALL FRUIT CULTUBIOT. 



tho grower's soil or location than any that could be pro 

 duced elsewhere. 



PROPAGATION BY RUNNERS. 



The varieties mainly cultivated in this country are 

 propagated from tin- runners. The first produced are 

 nsually the strongest and best for early planting, but 

 those that are formed later in tho season are equally as good 

 when they arrive at tho same age or size. A few theorist * 

 have maintained th:it tho first plants formed near tho 

 parent stool were the only ones that should be used, and 

 that they were far superior to the others, and wovld al- 

 ways be more prolific. This assertion is not supported by 

 facts ; consequently is not worthy of a moment's thought. 

 To insure the rooting of runners, the surface of the soil 

 should be kept loose and open, and if the weather is very 

 dry at tho time they are forming, it is well to go over the 

 beds and cover the new roots as they are produced. 

 When only a few very large and strong plants are wanted, 

 It is well to pinch off tho runner just beyond the first 

 plant, that this may become strong and vigorous. 



POT PLANTS. 

 In tin- Iir4 edition of this work I stated that it was a 



plan, in order In insure the safe removal <>f (he riui- 

 m r . In piling,, pi. is tilled with rich soil in tin- ln-ds, and 

 lot tho roots strike into UK-ID, I lien, when well rnnled, I he 

 VIMIII.LT plants could he taken up and removed with perfect 

 safety, This hint, sooms to have led our strawberry grow- 

 ors to introduce the pot-^rown or layered plants, as a 

 distinct feature m (!.,,- lmsm0S8, and for the past few 

 years tho merits of plants thus propagated ha\e lieen 

 highly extolled in nurserymen's catalogues. To propagate 

 plant^ in I In manner [g errlamlv far more e \pensi\e than 

 to allow the runners to lake root in the ordinary way, :ind 

 without assistance on tho part of the cultivator, and they 



