22 MANURES. 



that the fruit-bearing propensity of the plant soon 

 ceases. On the contrary, we have had strawberry 

 plants in the open garden, north, in a soil two-thirds 

 river sand Avith one-third finely pulverized garden 

 soil, that continued in flower and fruit from June until 

 September without showing any disposition to start a 

 runner, until, by the addition of a little guano-water 

 in September, the runners started, and the blossoms 

 and fruit, as usual, then ceased to apj)ear. 



The usual application of barn-yard, especially horse 

 manures, without compost on strawberry plantations, 

 besides producing an over-growth of runners and 

 leaves, even before the earliest fruit is perfected, heats 

 the earth where a cool moist soil is required ; and also 

 fills the ground with seeds producing troublesome 

 weeds, and mingles the soil with undecomposed por- 

 tions of the straw, which, coming into injurious con- 

 tact with the fibrous roots of the plants produces disas- 

 trous results. 



Our first successful experiment with the strawberry 

 was on new land, which gave us an enormous crop of 

 fruit. In order to increase the crop still more, the 

 next year, we forked in rich manure between the rows 

 and gave them the best of care, and obtained mon- 

 strous vines and blossoms but not even a pint of fruit 

 in the place of bushels — a perfect failure. We then 

 trenched a soil three feet deep, made it rich and set 



