514 FORCING THE STRA W BERRY. 



preserving moisture to the roots. The first runners are preferable. As 

 soon as the plants are well rooted, re-pot them in thirty-two-sized pots, 

 still using the same strong soil ; then place them in the hottest part of 

 the garden, fully exposed to the direct rays of the sun, but not under 

 a wall; or by giving them merely the shelter of glass alone, the 

 season may be hastened a month or six weeks. Here they should be 

 left exposed to the elements most conducive to bring them rapidly 

 to a state of maturity : a free circulation of air, abundance of moisture, 

 which they should be liberally supplied with, and a full share of solar 

 heat. In this situation the plants grow freely, forming well-matured 

 crowns, to send up fine stems of bloom in the forcing-house, with 

 strong and vigorous roots to support them. A few of the most vigo- 

 rous may have a second shift into twenty-four-sized pots, but the 

 majority should remain in thirty-twos, as they flower and fruit best 

 when root-bound. One plant to each pot is preferable to a great 

 number. If the autumnal rains are heavy, lay the pots on their sides, 

 and about the middle of December place them in pits or houses, or 

 pack them up out of doors, so as to keep the frost from injuring the 

 roots, till they are placed in the forcing-house. 



Thus grown and protected, the strawberries may, any time 

 between December and March, be brought into the forcing-pit, pre- 

 viously filled with tan, dung, or leaves, to about eighteen inches of the 

 glass. On this bed the plants are set, and a gentle temperature of 

 from 50 to 55 is maintained in the pit, or house. From this time 

 till the plants have perfected their fruits, a leaf should never be allowed 

 to droop for want of water : yet an excess is equally destructive, 

 more especially before the flower-stems appear ; as soon, however, as 

 these are up, a liberal supply of water is necessary till the fruits get 

 to their proper size ; when it must again be supplied sparingly, only 

 just enough to keep the leaves from flagging, till the strawberries are 

 gathered. Whilst in flower, a temperature of from 60 to 65, with a 

 free circulation of air, is best. The fruit once set, the plants will do 

 very well in a stove where the minimum temperature is as high as 

 75, provided abundance of air can be admitted. Plants treated in 

 this manner, introduced into the forcing-house in the middle of 

 December, will generally perfect their fruit about the middle of 

 March. The fruit ought to be thinned out : all the deformed ones 

 should be cut clean away, and the more promising ones should be 

 pegged to the sunny side of the pot, and if there are too many leaves 

 the footstalks of a number of them may be broken or twisted, so as to 

 check the flow of sap and throw it into the fruit. Dry heat and free 

 air are indispensable to their being well-flavoured. These conditions 

 are likewise most favourable for the setting of the fruit during dull 

 weather. This may also be assisted by the admission of bees, or 

 the use of a camel's-hair pencil. 



After forcing, turn the plants out of the pots, and plunge them in 

 rows, at moderate distances, in a piece of spare ground in the garden, 

 well exposed to the sun and a free circulation of air. From these a 

 late gathering will be obtained after the natural crops are over ; 



