Strawberries. 327 



or sticky, it should be harrowed down and levelled. Before 

 planting remove any withered or dead leaves there may be on 

 the runners and shorten the longest of the roots. The distance 

 apart of the rows will depend upon the variety planted and the 

 nature of the soil, but where horse-hoeing is intended it should 

 not be less than 2ft. Gin. During the first season another crop 

 may be grown between the rows, onions being a favourite one 

 for this purpose. When this is the case two rows of onions, 

 9in. apart, are drilled in the spaces as soon as the Strawberries 

 are planted. During the first season any blooms which show 

 must be picked off as soon as seen and no runners should be 

 allowed to form. 



Strawberries in Beds. Planting in single rows, as already 

 described, is the customary method approved and carried out 

 by the vast majority of growers ; there is, however, a method 

 of growing in beds, described below, which is worthy of serious 

 attention from all who aim not only at the production of choice 

 fruit but who also strive to " forward " a portion of their crop 

 so as to have ripe fruit ready a week or ten days earlier than 

 it would ripen naturally in the open. The method is simple 

 and profitable, and if carried out thoroughly will ensure a 

 heavy crop of fine fruit being taken off a comparatively small 

 space. 



The requisite number of good strong runners from maiden 

 plants should be set out Gin. apart on a nursery bed, not later 

 than September the earlier the better. Here they remain 

 until planted out permanently in the following spring. During 

 the winter the land intended for the plantation should be 

 bastard trenched a good dressing of well-decayed farmyard 

 manure being incorporated with the top spit at the same time 

 and thrown up into beds 5ft. wide, with furrows or pathways, 

 12in. wide and Gin. deep, dividing the beds. The surface of the 

 soil should be left rough for the weather to act upon. About 

 the end of March, when the weather is fine and the soil is 

 in nice working condition, prepare the beds and set two rows 

 of plants on each, as described for the propagation of runners 

 on pages 322 and 323. Lift the plants from the nursery beds 

 with a garden trowel, each with a good ball of earth. Keep 

 the surface of the soil stirred by frequent hoeing, but do not 



