20 Strawberry Culture 



bank, about an inch or two apart, the crowns level with the 

 surface, and about one inch of earth is pressed firmly against 

 the roots. The trench is then filled up, spatted with the spade, 

 and another trench is made about six inches from the first row 

 for the second row. 



In this way I have often heeled plants in when the ground 

 was frozen an inch or two deep. I did this work in the morn- 

 ing before the crust had thawed, lifting the crust in large pieces 

 with a pick. The ground underneath is found to be in fine 

 condition, the water having been drawn up into the crust. When 

 plants are heeled in at such a time, they should be immediately 

 covered with straw or other litter to prevent their freezing and 

 thawing. 



Plants heeled in in the spring may -be left till June, if nec- 

 essary, and then planted, care being taken to lift as much of 

 the earth that adheres to the roots as possible. Plants received 

 late in the spring, in midsummer or in bad condition are much 

 better to be heeled in and shaded and, if necessary, watered for 

 a couple of weeks before being permanently planted. 



Methods of Culture 



Strawberries are grown in hills, matted rows or some com- 

 promise between these two methods. In hill culture the plants 

 are set as close as they are expected to stand, and every runner 

 is cut off as long as the bed is kept. The common plan where 

 horse labor is to be employed is to have the rows three feet 

 apart, with the plants one foot from each other in the row. This 

 requires 14,520 plants to an acre. For a small bed for home 

 use, thirty inches between the rows gives room enough. If 



