244 AMERICAN HUSBANDRY. 



run through the plants as late as it can be done with- 

 out serious injury to the runners, hoeing them each 

 time ; and it is seldom, when judiciously performed, 

 that they require this operation over "three times. 

 I have always, in my practice, found the plants 

 when properly managed, sufficiently to cover the 

 ground to produce a good crop of fruit the next sea- 

 son. A piece, covering less than half an acre, of 

 last year's planting, produced this season over 3000 

 baskets, containing nearly a pint each, which were 

 sold in the New- York markets for $200. This, 

 however, is an uncommon yield, and is seldom ex- 

 celled, or even equalled. New beds almost invaria- 

 bly yield better than old ones, and produce larger 

 fruit, though the berries are apt to be sandy after 

 showers. It took nearly two acres of my old beds 

 to yield the same quantity that the half acre of new 

 did. The soil I prefer for strawberries is light, sandy 

 land newly cleared, on which no animal or vegetable 

 manure has been used. On land of this kind, which 

 has been prepared by previous crops, and on which 

 weeds have not been suffered to go to seed, the 

 plants will last four or five years, Avhile on old land 

 they are seldom profitable over two, and often not 

 more than one. 



The greatest enemy to the beds is white clover, 

 which, in old lands, after the first year's bearing, 

 generally gets possession, and eradicates the plants. 

 Land lately cleared is not often troubled with this 

 grass : the great danger here is froTn sorrel, but this 

 is less destructive. Our beds cover the whole 

 ground : there are no alleys, no clipping of runners, 

 no digging the paths, no burning with straw, as rec- 

 ommended by some gardeners ; for it is doubtful 

 whether these operations would be profitable, and 

 pay cost. At all events, our experience leads us 

 to adopt the plan I have describod The only oper- 

 ation whicli I have found necessary and advantageous 

 after the first year, is to pull up and destroy the 



