F R A G A R I A. 



533 



gust, because then the young plants produced on 

 what are called runners from the old stocks are fit to 

 be separated from the parent, each having roots of its 

 own. The best soil for the generality of the varieties 

 is a mellow loam, but almost any kind of garden soil 

 in good heart is suitable. The ground intended to 

 receive them should be trenched or double-digged, 

 and the surface enriched with some good rotten dung. 

 The usual order of planting is on beds of four and a 

 half feet wide, on which four rows of plants at twelve 

 inch distances between are dibbed at like distances 

 between plant and plant ; this allows margins of three 

 inches on each side. The beds are separated by two 

 feet wide alleys, to allow of weeding, watering the 

 plants, and of gathering the fruit. 



The strongest runners are always chosen for trans- 

 planting, and in order to obtain them as strong as 

 possible a shallow trench is made between the rows 

 of old plants, and filled with a rich compost. On 

 this the first runners are laid and fastened down by 

 little hooks. The runners quickly strike roots into 

 this compost, and grow strongly. To encourage 

 them still more they should be watered along with 

 the mother plants in dry weather. When the sea- 

 son arrives for transplanting, the young plants rise 

 with fine root?, and strong enough to promise a good 

 crop in the following year. 



The beds are never dug between the plants, but 

 only kept clear of runners and of weeds by the hoe. 

 The alleys are dug every winter, and a little of 

 the fresh soil from them thrown over the beds as a 

 top-dressing. It is usual to lay straw, or some kind 

 of clean loose litter, round the plants before the fruit 

 begins to ripen, to save them from being dashed with 

 earth by rain or when watered. When young plants 

 are not wanted, the bearing plants should be kept 

 free from runners lest they rob the swelling fruit. 



This plan of keeping every mother plant distinct and 

 separate, is most suitable for the larger sorts ; the 

 alpines, and sometimes the hautbois are planted indi- 

 vidually at first, but afterwards allowed to run all over 

 and occupy the whole surface, in which state these 

 kinds will, in somewhat shady situations, do very 

 well, and continue productive for several years. 



Some cultivators, instead of beds, plant the large 

 sorts in open order, say two feet apart every way on 

 well prepared ground, knowing that the more space 

 each plant is allowed the stronger it will grow and 

 flower, and bear fruit in greater numbers, and of 

 greater size. Besides, the side branches of the 

 mother-plant (not the runners) have room to ex- 

 tend and yield fruit in as great quantity as the 

 principal crown. To understand this result rightly, 

 it. is necessary to advert to the constitutional charac- 

 ter of the strawberry plant; The plant is compound ; 

 that is, it is composed of a principal and central divi- 

 sion, which yields flowers and fruit hi the next year 

 after it is formed. This principal is surrounded by 

 a secondary set of branches, which also in time yield 

 flowers and fruit superseding the first, which decays 

 and disappears alter it has ripened its fruit. The 

 secondary set of branches, or divisions, of the system 

 put forth, in their turn, a tertiary birth of branchlets, 

 which also in time are fruitful : and these again a 

 fourth set of offsets, which process is continued for 

 ever, if the plants are not destroyed by accident, or 

 by each other. During this process, the system 

 from this annual subdivision becomes weaker and 

 .or, so that at last the flowers are so few and 



diminutive, that the crops are unprofitable, and not 

 worth their place in the garden. 



This is so well known to cultivators, that they do 

 not consider a strawberry plantation worth its place 

 after the third year, and many take only two crops 

 from the plants, trenching them down as soon as the 

 crop of the second year is gathered. Here it may be 

 asked, how is it that plants allowed to occupy the 

 whole surface of the ground are suffered to be 

 usurpers ? The answer is, to save trouble, and as 

 some of the runners are always yielding fruit for the 

 first time, these being passable as to size and flavour, 

 guarantee the preservation of the whole. 



Strawberries are often planted in single rows by 

 way of edgings to borders. In this way they have 

 the advantage of full air and light, which is so far 

 suitable, as well for increasing the size, as for the con- 

 venient gathering of the fruit. People of fortune, 

 who wish to have the fruit in the highest perfection, 

 are at the expense of paving the whole surface of the 

 beds, leaving holes for the reception of the plants. 

 Others erect beds of brick-work formed like a ridge, 

 the sides graduated like steps, on which the plants are 

 placed in apertures left to admit the roots into the 

 compost on which the bricks are laid. These beds 

 have a contrivance for the purpose of irrigation, which 

 is of great service during the flowering season. There 

 is a trough formed of the brick-work along the ridge, 

 which being intentionally leaky allows the water to 

 percolate down the sides without wetting the flowers 

 or fruit. The reflected light of the sun from the bricks 

 serves also to ripen and improve the flavour of the 

 fruit. 



Potted strawberry plants may be forced either on 

 hot-beds, pits built for the purpose, or in almost any 

 description of forcing-house, provided air, light, and 

 water enough can be given. On hanging shelves in 

 a peach-house or vinery they do well, so as they are 

 kept as near the glass as possible, and be not placed in 

 pans, stagnant water being hurtful to the roots. 



Strawberry plants which have been forced are often 

 consigned to the rubbish heap, but by bestowing a 

 little care on them they may be made doubly ser- 

 viceable. It should be'considered that the primary 

 bud of the crown has only yielded fruit, and the 

 secondaries being at the same time advanced, they 

 therefore only require to be turned out of the pots 

 into good soil, in a north or cast aspect, where they 

 will make new roots, and give a small crop of fruit in 

 the autumn. This crop, indeed, is neither so large 

 nor so finely flavoured as the summer fruit, but they 

 give variety to the dessert, and are always useful to 

 the confectioner. 



An autumn crop of strawberries may be obtained 

 byavery simple expedient ; viz. by divesting the plants 

 of all their first flowers, which will cause those of the 

 side branches to be soon afterwards developed, and 

 which will give their fruit in the autumn. This will, 

 however, be at the expense of the next year's crop. 



The most esteemed sorts of strawberries are the 

 following, viz. : 



The Alpine red and white are both of weakly 

 growth, and yield fruit from well-established plants 

 from the end'of June till November. A light chalky 

 soil suits them best ; and as they succeed the earlier 

 sorts, they are usually planted on north borders, in 

 order to prolong their fruiting season. 



The Virz'nurtn, or scarlet pine, is universally cul- 

 tivated ; it affects a strong and rather lioh loam ; i* 



