Forsyth's composition. 389 



If the runners are planted out in August or the beginning 

 of September, the beds will be covered with runners by the 

 spring ; these should not be removed, as directed for the 

 other classes, because the first and strongest of them will 

 produce fruit during the autumn, and continue in succession 

 to a late period of the season. But a succession of finer 

 fruit than these is produced by cutting off all the flower 

 stems as soon as they begin to blosisom, from their com- 

 mencement in the spring till the end of June. By this means 

 a most abundant supply of the very finest fruit is produced 

 from the end of July till the frost sets in. 



In pursuing this latter mode of management, it would be 

 most advisable, perhaps, to plant a small-sized bed for the 

 purpose, allowing the plants a space of six or eight inches 

 from each other, instead of more, which will ensure a thicker 

 crop ; and in all cases with Alpines, it would be still better 

 to have some of both Red and fVliiie planted upon a north 

 aspect, and that these plantings should be removed annu- 

 ally. 



The Wood Strawherry requires the same management, 

 except in this, that as it does not produce its fruit in the au- 

 tumn, its flower stems must not be cut down in the spring, 

 in expectation of a succession crop. 



JVlr. Fbrsytli's Composition. 



Mr. Forsyth, May 11, 1791, gave the following directions 

 *' for making a composition for curing diseases, defects and 

 injuries in all kinds of fruit and forest trees, and the method 

 of preparing the trees and laying on the composition : 



" Take one bushel of fresh cow-dung, half a bushel of 

 lime rubbish of old buildings (that from the ceihngs of rooms 

 is preferable,) half a bushel of wood ashes, and a sixteenth 

 part of a bushel of pit or river sand ; the three last articles 

 are to be sifted fine before they are mixed ; then work them 

 well together with a spade, and afterwards with a wooden 

 beater, until the stuff is very smooth, hke fine plaster used 

 for ceilings of rooms. 



*' The composition being thus made, care must be taken 

 to prepare the tree properly for its application, by cutting 

 33* 



