1 84 THE HOME ACRE. 



litter which would leave seeds of various kinds, for 

 under this system of culture weeds must be taken 

 out by hand ; and this is always slow, back-aching 

 work. 



When plants are grown in beds it does not pay 

 to continue them after fruiting the third year. 

 For instance, they are set out in spring, and during 

 the first season they are permitted to make a lim- 

 ited number of runners, and prepare to fruit -the 

 following year. After the berries are picked 

 the third year, dig the plants under, and occupy 

 the ground with something else. On light soils, 

 and where the plants are grown in beds instead of 

 narrow rows, new beds should be set out every 

 alternate year. 



In order to have an abundant supply of young 

 plants it is only necessary to let one end of a row 

 or a small portion of a bed run at will. Then new 

 plants can be set out as desired. 



While more strawberries are planted in spring 

 than at any other time, certain advantages are 

 secured by summer and fall setting. This is espe- 

 cially true of gardens wherein early crops are ma- 

 turing, leaving the ground vacant. Foj instance, 

 there are areas from which early peas, beans, or 

 potatoes have been gathered. Suppose such a 

 plot is ready for something else in July or August, 

 the earlier the better. Unless the grourd is very 



