On forcing Stratioberries. S09 



London, last year, by the frost, for want of some precaution like 

 that now described ; and I Iiope it will be the means of doing 

 away with the present ugly piactice of laying the pots on their 

 sides during winter. The hoops and mats used now by 

 nurserymen and others afford a very partial protection ; as the 

 curvilineal roof allows almost all the rain that falls on the middle 

 of it to pass through, which the steep straight roof of this effectu- 

 ally prevents. 



Thus grown and protected, the strawberries may be brought 

 into the forcing-pit, previously filled with tan, dung, or leaves to 

 within about 18 in. of the glass. On this bed the plants are set, 

 and a gentle temperature of from 50° to 55° is maintained in the 

 pit: if without fire heat, so much the better. From this time, till 

 the plants have perfected their fruits, a leaf should never be 

 allowed to droop for want of water : yet the reverse is equally de- 

 structive, more especially before the flower stems appear ; as 

 soon, however, as these are up, a liberal supply of water is neces- 

 sary (yet I should not use saucers to stand the pots in), till the 

 fruits get to their proper size ; when it must again be supplied 

 sparingly, only just enough to keep the leaves from flagging, 

 till the strawberries are gathered. Whilst in flower, a temper- 

 ature of from 60° to 65°, with a free circulation of air, is best. 

 The fruit once set, the plants vvill do well in a stove where the 

 minimum temperature is as high as 75°. Plants, ti'eated in this 

 manner, introduced into the forcing-house in the middle of De- 

 cember, will generally perfect their fruit about the middle of 

 March. The fruit ought to be thinned out: all the deformed 

 ones should be cut clean away, and the more promising ones 

 should be pegged to the sunny side of the pot. 



Dry heat and free air ai'e indispensable to their being well 

 flavoured. Almost all the varieties of this fruit will bear forcing, 

 but the best sorts for it, that I am acquainted with, are, Kean's 

 seedling, and the Aberdeen seedling. A well- managed peach- 

 house is an excellent house to force strawberries in. The plants, 

 after forcing, may be turned out of the pots, and fresh plant- 

 ations made of them, plunging the balls entire, and drawing the 

 earth close up to the centre of each plant. The greater part of 

 the leaves may be cut off", as they would soon be killed by the sud- 

 den transition, unless pains were taken to harden them to the air 

 by degrees, or to shade them after planting out. 



Isle-joorth, Nov. 4. 1836. 



Art. XI. On forcing Strawberries. By James Cuthill, Gardener 

 at Dyrham Park. 



I HAVE found out an excellent plan with regard to the forcing 

 of strawberries, which produces fruit in great abundance, and 



X 3 



