Strawberries. 329 



rough or frosty weather. On no account let the plants suffer 

 from want of water, but on the other hand do not over-water 

 the soil should be maintained in a nice moist condition suitable 

 to free and uninterrupted growth. On the occasion of a warm 

 gentle rain the lights may be removed altogether so that the 

 plants may receive the full benefit of it. As the weather gets 

 warmer raise the lights more and give a light watering over 

 the leaves through a fine rose morning and evening. When 

 the blooms begin to open this dewing over should cease unless 

 the weather is exceptionally hot and dry. Fertilization of the 

 flowers should take place daily, by brushing them lightly over 

 with a rabbit's tail or bunch of feathers tied to the end of a 

 stick ; this scatters the pollen. 



The plants on these beds, whether forwarded or fruited in 

 the open, should only be allowed to bear one crop, and as soon 

 as that is gathered the plants should be chopped out or dug in 

 and the ground prepared for some other crop. A fresh planta- 

 tion should be made each spring, and then each season there 

 will be one in bearing. 



The Forcing of Strawberries. The preparation of the soil for 

 forcing is a matter of importance and has a great influence upon 

 the ultimate result. The principal ingredient should be good 

 turfy loam, cut from meadow land if possible. This should be 

 cut and stacked, grass side downwards, in the previous autumn, 

 adding at the same time alternate layers of well-decayed 

 manure about one-fourth manure to three-fourths loam and 

 a sprinkling of powdered lime, bone meal, and kainit between 

 each layer; if there are wireworms in the sod, one of the 

 advertised wire worm destroyers should also be added to each 

 layer. Make the heap fully large enough for the intended work, 

 as any surplus will be found useful for many other purposes. 

 Early in the spring cut the heap down, thoroughly mixing it 

 and chopping up the turf with a sharp spade in the process. 

 Stack it again and repeat the turning and chopping twice more 

 at intervals of five or six weeks ; the largest of the pieces then 

 should not exceed the size of a walnut. The soil should be 

 nicely moist and if not in this condition it must be watered well 

 at each turning ; liquid manure used for one watering will 

 still further improve the soil. At the second turning sufficient 



