BOOK OF FRUITS. 43 



enriches the strawberry, and forms a clean 

 bed for the trusses of fruit to lie on ; and thus 

 by a little extra trouble and cost, a more abun- 

 dant crop may be obtained. A short time be- 

 fore the fruit ripens, I always cut off the run- 

 ners, to strengthen the root ; and after the 

 fruit is gathered, I have what fresh runners 

 have been made,taken off with a reaping-hook, 

 together with the outside leaves around the 

 main plant, after which I rake the beds, then 

 hoe them, and rake them again. In the Au- 

 tumn, unless the plants appear very strong, I 

 have some dung dug in, between the rows, but 

 if they are very luxuriant the dung is not re- 

 quired ; for in some rich soils it would cause 

 the plants to turn nearly all to leaf. I also 

 have to remark, that the dung used for manure 

 should not be too far spent ; fresh dung from 

 the stable door, is prefererable to spit-dung, 

 which many persons are so fond of." 



In thus recommending a thorough method 

 of culture, we would by no means wish to 

 discourage those who have not yet attempted 

 raising this excellent fruit, and who think they 

 cannot afford to adopt such culture, from at- 

 tempting it altogether ; indeed if proper va- 



