214 THE PRACTICAL GARDEN -BOOK 



Ground rich in potash produces the firmest and best 

 flavored berries. Excessive use of stable manure, usually 

 rich in nitrogen, should be avoided, as tending to make too 

 rank growth of foliage and berries of a soft texture. 



Except in the case of a skillful grower in a favored 

 locality, the fall setting of plants is not to be recom- 

 mended. The preparation of the soil and care of the 

 plants more than overbalance the partial crop obtained the 

 following spring. 



In the single -plant or hill system the plants should beset 

 12 inches apart, in rows 3 feet apart. In the narrow matted 

 row system the plants should be set 18 inches apart, in rows 

 '3% ^ ee ^ apart. The first method requires about 14,000 

 plants per acre, the second about 8,000 plants. 



The winter treatment of a Strawberry bed should consist 

 in covering the plants, when the ground is frozen, in Novem- 

 ber or December, with straw or hay. Salt marsh hay, if ob- 

 tainable, is the best, as no weed seeds are introduced. Cover 

 the soil and the plants to the depth of 3 to 6 inches. As 

 soon as growth begins in spring, rake the mulch off, allow- 

 ing it to lie between the rows; or, if the soil is hard or 

 weedy, it may be taken off the patch entirely, the ground 

 tilled, and then replaced for the purpose of holding moisture 

 and keeping the berries clean. 



Usually, Strawberries may be fruited twice or three 

 times ; but on rich soil, with extra good care, the first 

 crop may be very heavy, and the patch may be plowed 

 up thereafter. Some varieties do not produce pollen, and 

 not more than two rows of these should be planted without 

 a row of a pollen-bearing kind. 



The rust and mildew may be held in check by Bordeaux 

 mixture. It is usually sufficient to spray after the blooming 

 season (or at any time the first year the plants are set), 

 in order to secure healthy foliage for the next year. 



Sunflower (HeUanthus) . People who know 

 only the coarse annual Sunflower are not aware of the 



