52 Strawberry Culture 



is only the beginning. He still has over a month in which to 

 add to their growth, and he not only pushes the berries by every 

 means, but he prolongs this period of growth as much as possible. 

 Food and water are supplied in abundance, liquid manure being 

 applied every day, and sometimes as often as three times a day. 

 The beds are shaded with paper screens in the heat of the day, 

 so as to prolong the period of growth. Of course he lets most 

 of his plants bear all they will, this pruning being done to ob- 

 tain extraordinary specimens. He raises a great many three- 

 inch berries without any pruning, and a well-formed berry of 

 that size is simply immense. 



Increasing New Varieties 



When a grower pays a dollar for half a dozen plants of a new 

 sort he generally wants to make the most of them, so as to have 

 plants the next season for planting, and some for bearing. Seve- 

 ral methods may be employed, but the following is as simple as- 

 any: Set the plants in a row six feet apart, early in the spring. 

 Of course, the ground should be well prepared and enriched. 

 After planting cover the ground with an inch or two of fine 

 manure for, at least, a foot from the plants in every direction. 

 This will keep the ground moist and furnish plant food. If a 

 strip of ground two feet wide is cbvered with manure from plant 

 to plant, so much the better. The blossoms must be cut off as 

 soon as they can be. A little later runners will appear, and they 

 too must be cut off. The first ruunners are weak, and will not 

 make as good plants as later ones. Of course, the surface must 

 be kept stirred. When the plants have become strong and are 

 sending out stout runners, perhaps early in June, train two from 



