Strawberries. 323 



good growth, with plenty of leaves, and strong, abundant 

 light-coloured roots; small stunted plants, small of leaf and 

 sparse of root, or old plants with dark-coloured, withered roots, 

 should always be rejected they rarely become profitable. 



The first runners from a plant are always the strongest as 

 well as the earliest. Those from vigorous young virgin plants 

 that have never been weakened by fruiting are still earlier and 

 stronger than the best from the fruiting stock, and it is more 

 than probable that if propagation from virgin plants was con- 

 tinued for some years a strain of any variety would be built up 

 which would far exceed in vigour, healthfulness, and cropping 

 powers that which had been propagated from plants debilitated 

 by years of fruit production. That being so, and an annual 

 supply of such runners being quite easy to obtain, it is strongly 

 recommended that at least on those limited areas where the 

 quality of the fruit is the principal aim, the following method 

 be adopted : During the winter prepare a bed or beds, 5ft. wide 

 and as long as necessary, by thoroughly digging and incorpor- 

 ating at the same time a generous dressing of well-decayed 

 manure.- Towards the end of March, when the weather has 

 been fine for a few days, stir the surface of these beds, and put 

 on a 2in. covering of rich compost or sifted old hot-bed manure, 

 supplemented with a light sprinkling of sulphate of potash and 

 superphosphates. Then carefully plant strong lifted runners 

 or, preferably, plants from pots, in two rows 2ft. apart, and 

 18in. from plant to plant, closing the soil well around the 

 crowns and making it very firm about the roots. Remove 

 all blossom as soon as it appears. As runners are put out peg 

 down the earliest ones from each plant until the whole of the 

 space is covered with young plants at about Gin. apart, after 

 which all others must be rigorously removed. If the weather 

 is dry an occasional soaking with water will assist rooting 

 very materially. As soon as the runners are rooted strongly 

 separate them from the old plants. By the middle of July 

 the young plants will be growing vigorously, and if transplanted 

 to their fruiting quarters before the end of August but the 

 sooner the better they will yield a good crop of large choice 

 fruit the following season. At the same time sufficient runners 

 should be planted Gin. apart each way in a nursery bed to make 



