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CULTURE OF STRAWBERRIES. 



September. Our planting in March has sometimes 

 failed, and it is desirable that the plants should have 

 extended their roots well in the earth before the frost 

 comes on in the winter. Hence September would be 

 preferable to October, for autumnal planting, and 

 better than August, as there is a greater probability of 

 the new plantation being well watered by the fall rains. 



After Culture. Keep the ground always loose or 

 mellow, and free from weeds. Let nothing else, un- 

 less it be some shrubs, as roses, &c. be permitted to 

 grow on the gronnd with the plants. After the run- 

 ners have covered the bed with young plants, our 

 method is, to go through the beds with a spade, and 

 turn up the earth, plants and all, one spade width, 

 burying the plants completely under, and then leaving 

 a spade's width, and so on till we pass through the bed 

 in one direction. This we do twice a year, in March 

 and Augnst ; and the second time we pass ' through 

 the bed the other way, so as to leave the plants in 

 little squares in the bed, when there will be jnst about 

 enongh to cover the ground properly ; and by this 

 means the earth will always be kept mellow. The 

 spade should be about seven inches wide. After this 

 operation in March, let the bed be lightly covered with 

 tan-bark, forest leaves, or short straw, for the fruit to 

 rest upon and keep it clean. Oat straw should not be 

 used, as it is apt to mildew the fruit. This covering 

 should be spaded in as a manure in August. 



When in blossom, you can easily determine what 

 portion of your plants are bearers. Those which will 

 not bear produce large flowers, with long, showy 

 stamens, holding high their black anthers ; whilst 

 those Vi/hich will bear have short stamens, and a great 

 number of pistils, and flowers are every way less 

 showy. If the non-beaters are very numerous, many, 

 not all, should be pulled out. Tf the weather is dry 

 during the flowering season, the beds should be slight- 

 ly watered every evening, to set the fruit ; but when it 

 begins to ripen, keep them dry as possible. 



