FIELD CULTUEE. 37 



care being taken, as often stated, not to disturb the 

 small fibrous roots of the plant. We know some per- 

 sons may think we insist too much on this point, and 

 we also know there are those who have gathered fair 

 but not large crops without much regard to the careless 

 use of the hoe. The crop, however, Avill be so much 

 increased that we shall be excused for so often repeat- 

 ing that it will well repay to weed by hand for the 

 space of a few inches around each plant, instead of the 

 more destructive and rapid process with the hoe. Let 

 it never be forgotten, however, that a strawberry plan- 

 tation must he kept clean throughout the entire season. 

 As we have said, a slight covering of straw in winter, 

 and a mulch of tanbark, straw, or grass, just previous 

 to fruiting, will increase the crop. 



Some persons, the first spring after the strawberry 

 plants are set out, fill up the intervals of three feet 

 between the rows with a row or two of beets. Inas- 

 much as the plants are not expected to produce much, 

 if any, fruit the same season when set in the spring ; 

 therefore the occupation of the ground in this way is a 

 very good one. 



When the plants get an early strong growth in the 

 spring as we have recommended, care should be taken 

 to remove the greater portion of the numerous runners 

 which will strike previous to the coming winter. It 

 is a very common and destructive error to allow too 



