STRAWBERRY 



447 



The old way of growing a crop was to set the plants 10 to 12 inches 

 apart, in rows 3 feet apart, and allow them to run and root at will, the 

 results being a mass of small, crowded plants, each striving to obtain 

 plant-food and none of them succeeding in getting enough. The last, 

 or outside runners, having but the tips of their roots in the ground, are 

 moved by the wind, heaved by the frost, or have the exposed roots 

 dried out by the wind and sun. 



Ground rich in potash produces the firmest and best flavored berries. 

 Excessive use of stable manure, usually rich in nitrogen, should be 

 avoided, as tending to make too rank growth of foliage and berries of a 

 soft texture. 



289. A narrow matted row of strawberries. 



For most purposes, strawberries should be set as early in the spring 

 as the ground can be worked. The planting can be done with a trowel, 

 spade, or dibble, taking care to spread the roots out as much as possible 

 and to press the soil firmly about them, holding the plant so that the 

 bud will be just above the surface. If the season is late and the weather 

 is hot and dry, some or all of the older leaves should be removed. If 

 water is used, it should be poured about the roots before the hole is 

 filled and as soon as it has soaked away the remaining soil should be 

 packed about the plants. During the first season the blossom stalks 

 should be removed as soon as they appear, and the runners should be 

 restricted to a space about 1 foot wide. Some persons prefer still 



