122 THE CULTURE OF VEGETABLES 



in the garden. We have choice of seeds, divisions, and runners in 

 making a plantation of strawberries. The universal way is the best 

 way, and it consists in planting rooted runners of named sorts in an 

 open sunny spot in well-prepared ground any time during spring or 

 autumn, when fresh and good runners are obtainable ; but late 

 planting is undesirable, for when the plants have not time to establish 

 themselves before winter sets in many are lost. If, therefore, the 

 planting cannot be accomplished at the latest by the beginning of 

 October, it is better to defer the task until the spring. Plants put in 

 at the latter time should have the flower stems removed, and will then 

 yield a heavy crop in the succeeding season. 



The best soil for the plant is a rich, moist, sandy loam, but a heavy 

 soil will answer perfectly if it is well prepared. The ground should 

 be trenched and heavily enriched with rotten manure placed between 

 the top and bottom spit, where the plants will reach it when they are 

 most in need. In a new soil that is rather stiff, it will be advisable, 

 when the trenching has been completed, to put down the line and 

 cut shallow trenches, which should be filled with any rather fine kindly 

 stuff that may be at hand, such as old hot-bed soil, leaf-mould, or a 

 mixture of material turned out of pots, with some good decayed manure. 

 In this the young plants will root freely and quickly without becoming 

 gross, for we want a certain degree of vigour ; but an excessive leaf 

 growth may result in losses during winter, and a small crop of fruit the 

 following year. Well-cultivated soils need no such special preparation, 

 but in any case a good digging and a liberal manuring are absolutely 

 necessary. And here it may be well to state that after the plants have 

 obtained a firm hold of the soil, it matters not how hard the ground 

 becomes. The practice of some growers in running a plough lightly 

 between the rows either for a mulch, or to give the plants the full 

 benefit of rain, does not in the least degree upset this conclusion, for 

 this only creates a loose and friable surface, and the operation is so 

 managed that the soil near the roots remains undisturbed. It may 

 be accepted as a secret of successful Strawberry culture that the bed 

 should be firm and compact, and, in forcing, this principle is so far 

 recognised that the soil is positively rammed into the pots. 



If Strawberry plants come to hand somewhat dry, unpack them 

 quickly, and spread them in small lots in a cool shady place, and 

 sprinkle lightly with water to refresh them. A deluge of water is not 

 needed, and in fact will do harm, but enough to moisten them will 

 put them in a condition to begin growing as soon as they are pro- 

 perly located. The distances in planting will have to be determined 



