1 82 THE HOME ACRE. 



of excellent varieties can be grown on the lightest 

 soil. In this instance, however, we would suggest 

 important modifications in preparation and cul- 

 ture. The soil, as has been already shown, must 

 be treated like a spendthrift. Deep ploughing or 

 spading should be avoided, as the subsoil is too 

 loose and leachy already. The initial enriching of 

 the bed should be generous, but not lavish. You 

 cannot deposit fertilizers for long-continued use. 

 I should prefer to harrow or rake in the manure, 

 leaving it near the surface. The rains will carry 

 it down fast enough. One of the very best meth- 

 ods is to open furrows, three feet apart, with a 

 light corn-plough, half fill them with decayed com- 

 post, again run the plough through to mix the 

 fertilizer with the soil, then level the ground, and 

 set out the plants immediately over the manure. 

 They thus get the benefit of it before it can leach 

 away. The accomplished horticulturist Mr. P. T. 

 Quinn, of Newark, N. J., has achieved remarkable 

 success by this plan. 



It is a well-known fact that on light land straw- 

 berry plants are not so long-lived and do not 

 develop, or " stool out," as it is termed, as on 

 heavier land. In order to secure the largest and 

 best possible crop, therefore, I should not advise 

 a single line of plants, but rather a narrow bed of 

 plants, say eighteen inches wide, leaving eighteen 



