THE STRAWBERRY. 237 



dry most rapidly, it is well to pack the space 

 between them with half-decomposed leaves or moss. 

 In placing them, they should be quite level, and 

 have as much room as will allow each plant to 

 stand quite clear of its fellow. 



Watering must now be carefully attended to. The 

 pots being efficiently drained, and the soil firmly 

 packed in them, there is little fear of over-watering 

 them so long as they continue in active growth. In 

 very hot weather they may require watering morning 

 and afternoon ; and on the evenings of very warm 

 days a syringing overhead, just as the sun is leaving 

 them, is very refreshing to them. But the syringing 

 must be discontinued when the dews of autumn nights 

 set in. As soon as the roots reach the sides and 

 bottoms of the pots, liquid manure may be given 

 every other day. Clear soot-water, guano, sheep or 

 deer's manure water, are all excellent for strawberries. 

 The principal point in applying water is to make sure 

 that the whole ball is thoroughly soaked ; and in apply- 

 ing liquid manures, not to slop it about the foliage, 

 on which it leaves more or less of a sediment. Should 

 the plants break away into several weaker crowns, 

 remove all but the strongest as soon as this tendency is 

 observed : one good strong crown in a pot is much 

 better than several weaker ones. 



Do not allow a weed to appear in the pots ; prevent 

 every attempt at runner-making ; and occasionally stir 

 the surface of the soil, adding a light sprinkling of fine 

 soil, in which is mixed a little Standen's manure or 

 soot, and press all firmly down again. Under such 

 treatment, it will be found, on turning them out of 

 their pots by the end of September, that the balls 

 appear literally roots, and nothing else ; so much so, 



