FRUITS 49 



STRAWBERRIES 



The principal points in the culture of straw- 

 berries are a deeply-trenched and well-manured 

 soil, somewhat stiff loamy being the best, to make 

 the soil perfectly firm, and to make use of runners 

 from fruitful plants of well-known and proved 

 varieties. 



Great care must be taken to prepare the beds. 

 Deep trenching and liberal manure is the first 

 thing, and when the soil is of a light description it 

 ought to be trenched several weeks before planting 

 it. 



The ground should be dug two-and-a-half feet 

 to three feet, and the soil well broken up ; and a 

 liberal dressing of manure, leaf-mould, ashes, etc., 

 more or less according to the nature of the soil, 

 should be mixed with the top and pit. 



The plants should be put out in rows from 

 twenty to twenty-four inches apart, and eighteen 

 inches from plant to plant ; and in planting spread 

 the roots out evenly all round, keep the crowns 

 high, and press the soil down very firmly with the 

 foot around each. 



The soil of the beds should never be disturbed 

 from the time of planting till they are broken up. 

 All weeds should be hand-picked, or else cut off at 

 the surface with a sharp hoe. 



The planting should always be done in October, 

 from the runners which have been taken off in 

 July, and planted by dibbling them into a rich soil, 

 where they can be often watered, and where they 

 can be shaded from the sun. These plants are 



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