332 The Profitable Culture of Vegetables. 



with soil, making it quite firm with a wooden rammer as the 

 pot is filled, bringing the new soil about half an inch deep 



over the previous surface, so that 

 the crown of the plant just stands 

 above it. Firm potting is essential 

 to success ; satisfactory crops of 

 Strawberries can never be obtained, 

 either from plants in pots or from 

 those in the open ground, when the 

 soil about the roots is in a loose 

 condition. 



After potting, set the plants on a 

 bed of ashes, 2in. deep; this will 

 prevent the entrance of worms into 

 the pots and keep the drainage holes 

 from being blocked by earth. Where 

 sufficient box frames are available 

 ^ is a good plan to stand the pots 



from Small Pot in a Large inside these, without lights ; they 



can then be very easily protected 



through the winter. In any case the pots must be so arranged 

 that pathways are left between them at intervals for conve- 

 nience of watering. Shade from the sun should be provided 

 for a few days to enable the roots to quickly begin working in 

 the new soil. Dew the leaves of the plants over daily but give 

 no other water until the shade is removed. They must then 

 be exposed to the full sunshine and will need a good watering. 

 They must now be attended to with great care ; only moderate 

 quantities of water will be necessary at first, but as the pots 

 get filled with roots copious supplies must be given to keep 

 them growing freely sometimes twice a day when the weather 

 is very hot and a syringing every afternoon will be beneficial 

 and keep them free of insect pests. Runners must be cut off 

 as soon as they show and the soil kept free from weeds. 



When the weather becomes cool and wet in the autumn 

 watering must cease, and it will be necessary to provide some 

 protection for the pots, or many will get broken by the frost. 

 If the pots were stood inside box frames, as suggested, the 

 lights can be put on and no further protection will be required 



