STRAWBERRIES FOR THE HOME I4I 



not be ploughed, harrowed, etc., in the regular 

 way, but has to be spaded, followed by work- 

 ing up with a rake. Nevertheless, where the 

 bed is large enough, the horse work should be 

 done unless particular attention is desired 

 in soil preparation. The suggestions made 

 in the chapters of this book on soil prepara- 

 tion should be carefully followed, as should 

 other matters pertaining to this crop. 



The majority of the beds in the home gar- 

 den are raised beds, that is to say, there is a 

 slight ditch surrounding the patch and the 

 soil inside this trench is higher than that out- 

 side. 



After the bed is thoroughly prepared, the 

 marking out should follow, and planting 

 very soon after that. The best results in the 

 home garden, where very intensive methods 

 will be carried on, are obtained by the hill 

 system of planting. According as the bed 

 is neglected, the system used will approach 

 that of the matted row. This last system is 

 the least desirable for the home grounds, as it 

 does not correspond with the necessarily 

 intensive methods that should be carried on 

 there, nor does it produce the quality or size 

 of fruit that the other method will. 



