308 CROP GROWING AND CROP FEEDING 



FORCING THE STRAWBERRY. 



There is no fruit so easily and profitably forced under glass in winter 

 as the strawberry. But let no inexperienced person suppose that a 

 strawberry plant can be taken up in the fall, placed under glass and given 

 a forcing temperature and succeed. For the purpose of forcing, the plants 

 need to be grown for months previous, and properly handled so as to make 

 strong crowns that will bloom and fruit well. We always force strawberries 

 in six-inch flower pots. We begin with the first rooted runners in early sum- 

 mer. As soon as these have started to form white roots an inch long we take 

 them up and set them in three-inch pots, in the ordinary compost of rotted 

 sods and manure which we use for general greenhouse potting. The plants 

 gre set in a frame on a bed of coal ashes to prevent the earth worms from get- 

 ting in, and are shaded with lath screens in place of sashes, thus giving them 

 a varying shade and sunlight ; and special attention is given to the supplying 

 of the plants with water. As soon as the roots have matted around the balls 

 of earth in these pots, they are transferred to the 4-inch size, replaced in the 

 frame and treated as before. Then, as soon as the 4-inch pots are well 

 filled with roots, they are again repotted into six-inch pots in which they will 

 be fruited. These pots are now plunged to the rim in the coal ashes and at- 

 tended to carefully. As the pots get well filled with roots some liquid ma- 

 manure is applied, once a week, to encourage a luxuriant growth and to aid in 

 the formation of strong crowns, for no weak plant can be successfully forced. 

 As cold weather approaches less water is given, the plants are allowed to be- 

 come semi-dormant, and are allowed to be exposed to the frost for a while, 

 since the forcing must be preceded by a short period of rest. The first plants 

 are put in the houses in December. All the old leaves are trimmed off, the 

 plants well watered and started in growth with a night temperature of about 

 45 degrees, and kept moderately cool in day time. As they begin a new 

 growth we give, once a week, a watering with a solution of an ounce of nitrate 

 of soda to four gallons of water, taking care to apply it only when the plants 

 are moist at the root and not when needing water, and to pour it on the soil 

 and not over the foliage. See that the drainage of the pots is right so that the 

 abundant watering that is needed will not sour the soil. The side bench of 

 the house near the glass is the best position for the plants. As the blossoms 

 appear it is well to brush them over daily at noon with a camel's hair brush, 

 to insure fertilization; and no variety should be forced unless it has perfect 

 flowers, and it is naturally an early bloomer in the open ground. Flowers 

 of sulphur dusted on the hot water pipes is valuable for keeping down fungus 

 troubles. Do not pack the pots so closely as to touch each other, but have a 



