3 6 S taw berry Culture 



four by sixteen feet and is covered with cotton cloth. The soil in- 

 side is made fine and level, and that on the outside is slightly 

 banked up against it to hold it in place, or else the frame is sunk 

 an inch or two. The runners are cut in the morning when the 

 dew is on, but this may be done at any time by putting them in 

 a wet sack. They are then carried to a sheltered place, made 

 into cuttings and dropped into a pail of water. They are of the 

 right age when roots are beginning to come out. About an inch 

 of the runner is left to each node, and it is often necessary to re- 

 move a part of the foliage lest the little cutting dry out before 

 roots are formed to support it. The earth is supposed to be of 

 such a character that it will not bake, but I have grown them in 

 heavy soil, mostly clay, by covering it to the depth of half an 

 inch with sand. It is well watered and then the cuttings are 

 placed in position with the runner stuck into the soil until the 

 node, where the roots are coming out, is resting firmly on the 

 surface and slightly below the level. Perhaps three by three 

 inches is as good a distance as any. If the work is done when 

 the sun is shining, the cuttings must be shaded at once and left 

 covered until sundown. If done after sundown they may re- 

 main uncovered until most of the dew is dried off next morning. 

 They will need shading most of the time the sun is shining for 

 a few days until they get roots. Each morning they remain un- 

 covered a little later, and the shading is removed earlier. In 

 cloudy and rainy weather they need no shading, but it may be 

 necessary to leave them covered in a windy time, night or day. 

 In a dry time the frame may need watering night and morning 

 for the first few days. Later, one watering in the morning is 

 sufficient. If carefully attended to, the plants will be rooted in 

 ten to fourteen days. They may then be planted where they 

 are to fruit, or they may be potted for sale, or planted in beds to- 

 be sold as layers later on. The cuttings should be planted im- 

 mediately after they are cut, if possible. If left in water a few 

 hours before planting, they are likely to die. 



