No. 4.] STRAWBERRY CULTURE. 417 



the year which form new plants at each joint. If tlie.sc new plants 

 become established in deep, rich soil, they wi"ll make strong roots and 

 crowns. The strawberry grower, thus carefully selecting along his 

 own strawberry rows, can secure such plants as he desires. These 

 plants may be taken out in spring just at the time of transplanting. 

 We have found it rather better, however, to take them up during the 

 fall and heel them in. Small beds are especially prepared for this pur- 

 pose in deep, well-drained soil. These are covered with loose, dry 

 mulch during the winter, and the plants are taken out in i^rime condi- 

 tion at transplanting time in the spring. 



A word should be said also about the use of potted plants. These 

 are largely advertised every fall and are very interesting to amateurs. 

 Any one who has a few small flowerpots (2^ or 2^ inches) at his dis- 

 posal may grow these plants for himself. The pots are buried in the 

 soil beside the fruiting rows in the latter part of June or the first of 

 July. Each pot is filled with soil, and a young strawberry plant, 

 still attached to the mother plant, is set into the buried pot. Plants 

 so treated should form large, strong crowns by the last of August. 

 They may then be severed from the mother plants and transplanted 

 from the pots with very little shock. 8uch plants will bear a small 

 crop the next year, — under favorable conditions, a moderately good 

 crop. This method is advertised every autumn as a means of saving 

 one year on the strawberry plantation. In reality, it is not a commer- 

 cial method at all and not to be recommended for use on a large scale. 

 Still, it is very interesting to the amateur and always worth his (or 

 her) while. 



Setting out Plants. 



Spring setting of strawberry plants is the regular practice. On 

 light, well-drained soils which do not heave fall setting may be prac- 

 ti(,'ed, it being always necessary to mulch the beds well in autumn. 

 However, fall setting, aside from the use of potted plants, as described 

 above, is not to be generally recommended. On the other hand, it is 

 good practice to set the plants just as early as possible in the spring. 

 In some localities and with some growers there is a prejudice in favor 

 of late spring setting, but this does not apply to most parts of Massa- 

 chusetts. 



Where large areas are to be set with strawberry plants, a business- 

 like organization of the work is essential. The ground should be 

 thoroughly prepared, well harrowed and in prime condition. The 

 rov.s should be carefully marked out where they are to go. Usually 

 these will be 3 feet apart. Some growers prefer 3^ feet, but a larger 

 number prefer less, — some 2 feet, some 2^ feet. The plants will be 

 set at varying distances in these rows, depending upon the system of 

 culture to be followed; about 16 inches apart is the distance usually 

 prescribed. The plants should be set with a dibble. The man who 

 does the setting takes this in his right hand while he takes up the 

 plant with his left. The dibble is thrust into the loose soil at the point 



