Strawberry Culture 19 



doing well everywhere/ The leading characteristics of these 

 varieties are vigor and reliability. If one is seeking to grow 

 the finest fruit possible, it is frequently necessary to sacrifice 

 these characteristics to some extent in favor of size, appearance 

 or quality, as few, if any, varieties combine all the good points. 

 Knowing just what he wants, the grower can, by examining the 

 catalogues of plant growers, find such kinds as purport to be 

 what he desires. He should get a few plants of these varieties 

 and test them for himself. He will be disappointed often, but 

 there is no other way to get the best. A person must always 

 remember that nobody else can do his testing for him, as in no 

 two cases are the conditions the same; and, with changed con- 

 ditions, comes changed results. 



Heeling In 



It sometimes happens that a person cannot plant just when 

 he wants to. Wet weather, other work, insufficient help or 

 other obstacles may prevent, or plants may arrive from a dis- 

 tance before one is ready for 'them. In such cases it is most 

 advantageous to know how to ''heel in" plants. Heeling in is 

 merely setting plants close together in a temporary bed. 



My way of doing it is as follows: I choose a small piece of 

 ground, somewhat sandy if obtainable, but well drained at any 

 rate. This I spade and pulverize thoroughly, and rake the sur- 

 face smooth. Beginning at one side, I spat with the back of 

 the spade a strip one spade wide where the first row is to stand. 

 I then cut a trench with the spade through the middle of this 

 strip from end to end, the bank being at an angle of 45 degrees 

 with the surface. The plants are then laid against this sloping 



