18 



growth, and when the peculiar characteristics of a plant are 

 once fixed in the mind, all spurious sorts can be removed at any 

 time. 



Old beds of strawberries are often situated in proximity to 

 where a new bed is to be formed, and in such cases tufts of 

 .plants can be cut out with a spade, and removed to the newly 

 prepared bed. If in spring, fruit may be obtained in a few 

 weeks. As trenches will be required to receive plants removed 

 in this way, and as they are bulky and heavy to handle, this 

 method can only be recommended for small plots, where the 

 -stock plants are near at hand, and fruit is desired at the earliest 

 possible moment. 



POTTED PLANTS. 



The amateur is often anxious for a strawberry-bed in bearing 

 .at once, and cares very little about the expense. This demand 

 from persons who are in a hurry, has led to the practice of root- 

 ing plants in small earthen flower-pots, and such plants can be 

 furnished at about double the price of those that are allowed to 

 .strike root in the ground. 



The method adopted is to fill the pots with rich soil or fine 

 <jompost the better the material the sooner the plant will fill 

 the pot with roots sink the pot in the ground, under the young 

 plant, and fix the plant in position by placing on the runner a 

 -small stone, or covering it with dirt, to prevent displacement by 

 the wind. It will take about three weeks, under favorable cir- 

 cumstances, for the roots to fill the pot, when the runner con- 

 necting it with the old plant should be cut. The pot may be 

 left undisturbed for a week or two longer to allow the plant to 

 , become well established as an independent institution. If the 

 weather be dry during this time, one or two applications of 

 water, pouring it directly into the pot, will be of service. 



As soon as plants have become well rooted, they will be in 

 the best condition for planting out in their new quarters. If 

 allowed to remain long in the pots, they become almost worth- 

 less, owing to lack of room for their roots to develop and ex- 

 pand. They are cramped and dwarfed, like a Chinaman's foot, 

 -and seldom if ever recover. These plants are in the condition 

 .known to plant-growers as " pot-bound." On examination, it 

 will be found that the roots next to the pot have turned black, 



