CULTIVATION. 1 45 



stand but little chance before it, almost doubles in size and 

 productiveness if restricted to a narrow row. 



The following remarks will have reference to this system, 

 as I consider it the best. We will start with plants that 

 have just been set out. If fruit is our aim, we should re- 

 member that the first and strongest impulse of each plant 

 will be to propagate itself; but to the degree that it does 

 so it lessens its own vitality and power to produce berries 

 the following season. Therefore every runner that a plant 

 makes means so much less and so much smaller fruit from 

 that plant. Remove the runners as they appear, and the 

 life of the plant goes to make vigorous foliage and a corres- 

 pondingly large fruit bud. The sap is stored up as a miller 

 collects and keeps for future use the water of a stream. 

 Moreover, a plant thus curbed abounds in vitality and does 

 not throw down its burden of prematurely ripe fruit after a 

 few hot days. It works evenly and continuously, as strength 

 only can, and leisurely perfects the last berry on the vines. 

 You will often find blossoms and ripe fruit on the same plant 

 — something rarely seen where the plants are crowded and 

 the soil dry. I have had rows of Triomphe de Gand in 

 bearing for seven weeks. 



With these facts before us, the culture of strawberries is 

 simple enough. A few days after planting, as soon as it is 

 evident that they will live, stir the surface just about them 

 not more than half an inch deep. Insist on this ; for most 

 workmen will half hoe them out of the ground. A fine- 

 tooth rake is one of the best tools for stirring the surface 

 merely. After the plants become well rooted, keep the 

 ground mellow and clean as you would between any other 

 hoed crop, using horse-power as far as possible, since it is 

 the cheapest and most effective. If the plants have been 

 set out in spring, take off the fmit buds as soon as they ap- 



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