1 88 THE HOME ACRE. 



loss worth mentioning. This method of the plant- 

 grower can easily be employed on the Home Acre. 

 Pots filled with earth may be sunk along the straw- 

 berry rows in the garden, the runners made to 

 root in them, and from them transferred to any 

 part of the garden wherein we propose to make a 

 new bed. It is only a neater and more certain 

 way of removing young plants with a ball of earth 

 from the open bed. 



Some have adopted this system in raising straw- 

 berries for market. They prepare very rich beds, 

 fill them with pot-grown plants in June or July, 

 take from these plants one crop the following June, 

 then plough them under. As a rule, however, 

 such plants cannot be bought in quantities before 

 August or September. 



As we go south, September, October, or No- 

 vember, according to lowness of latitude, are the 

 favorite months for planting. I have had excel- 

 lent success on the Hudson in late autumn plant- 

 ing. My method has been to cover the young 

 plants, just before the ground froze, with two or 

 three inches of clean earth, and then to rake it off 

 again early in April. The roots of such plants 

 become thoroughly established during the winter, 

 and start with double vigor. Plants set out in late 

 autumn do best on light, dry soils. On heavy 

 soils they will be frozen out unless well covered. 



