MANURES. 21 



MANURES, 



Leaf-mould, decomposed turf or peat, bog earth, new 

 surface soil or muck, wood ashes and lime with a 

 little salt well composted are, we think, the best manures 

 for the strawberry. 



On old or exhausted lands deficient in life as well as 

 nutriment, barn-yard and other animal manures are 

 often used, we know with comparative success, but we 

 much prefer the above manures where they can be 

 obtained. In our garden soils or good conditioned 

 fields we would simply apply ashes, lime, and salt. 

 Plaster is injurious to the strawberry, but ashes leached 

 or unleached are generally beneficial. 



"We have not used any barn-yard animal manure dur- 

 ing the last six or eight years in the cultivation of the 

 strawberry in our own garden, and it was simply a 

 a matter of careful experiment which induced us to 

 eschew them altogether and adopt vegetable in prefer- 

 ence. The animal manures were found to be too 

 heating and stimulating in their character, forcing out 

 a rank, strong growth of vines and runners, quite un- 

 favorable to fruitfulness. It should always be borne 

 in mind that the strawberry plant does not produce 

 runners, leaves, and fruit, as a general thing, at the 

 same time. When the runners start, it will be noticed 



