30 A B C OF STRAWBERRY CUI/TURE. 



often take root." So it will ; but let me tell you that, when 

 you find a man farming in any such careless, slipshod, trust-to- 

 luck way, you will find a man who is not very successful in his 

 business. "No paius no gains ; " or, " Man's fortunes are ac- 

 cording to his pains." It would be better if the plants could 

 be set out on a cloudy day, or toward night, or just before a 

 rain ; but where one buys plants from a distance they must be 

 set when they come or soon after. If you set them just as I 

 direct, and they are good plants, they will not wilt a particle, 

 be the day ever so bright and hot. Do no watering or cover- 

 ing. If the soil is very dry (but fine soil, well firmed in the 

 early spring, will very seldom be so), pack it by stepping on it 

 next to the plant, after it is all set out, and scrape a little loose 

 soil over where you stepped. If you have no trowel you can 

 get a garden-trowel for a few cents, or you can make a paddle 

 of wood that will answer to set out a few plants. 



Fig. 7 shows a plant properly placed in the ground. The 

 top of the crown, where the leaves come out, should be just 

 above the surface, after the plant is all set and the soil leveled 

 down around it. The lines in these figures indicate the surface 

 of the ground. 



Fig. 8 shows a plant set too deep. Earth over the crown 

 will usually kill it, or at least prevent its doing well. Fig. 9 

 shows a plant set too shallow. The air can get to the roots, 

 and so can the sunshine, and the plant will not do well under 

 such conditions. The roots should all be in the ground. I do 

 not suppose any one would set a plant quite as deep as the one 

 in Fig. 8, nor quite as shallow as shown by Fig. 9. I have ex- 

 aggerated these cuts to make the lesson plain. Also the leaves 

 on the plants are a little more upright than you will usually 

 find them when setting out. They often crinkle down so as to 

 be in the way. Of coprse, we had to put them up out of the 

 way in these pictures so as to show you plainly just how to do 

 the setting. Do not dig holes, except as fast as you want to 

 put in the plants, so as to have the soil that the roots will touch 



