336 



THE MAGAZINE OF HORTICULTURE. 



Such is the way to grow tender roses well in England. — ( Gard. Chron., 

 1856, p. 403.) 



The best way to Force Strawberries. — The world is assured by 

 men of " much experience " that the Strawberry Grower must take care 

 how he forces that fruit. " Strawberry plants intended for forcing should 

 be two years old." — " Pot runners in August, pinch off all the flowers the 

 next year, and force them in the second." — " Never use any but stools of 

 two years' standing." — " Strong plants may be taken out of the ground and 

 forced immediately." — " Root your early runners in small pots ; afterwards 

 carefully shift them into larger." Such are the stereotyped directions of 

 practical gardeners. Care must also be taken that the pots are big enough. 

 "Twenty-fours (8-inch) are what you should have ; but for small sorts you 

 may make shift with thirty twos {6-inch)." — "Nine or 10-inch pots are in- 

 dispensable." — " Take care that the pots are sufficiently large to hold three 

 plants, for fear that one or two should go off." — " For small sorts 4h inch 

 pots will do ; but for others they must be 5 inches or even 6h inches in di- 

 ameter." Thus we are told in gardening books must we treat the straw- 

 berry if it is to be forced successfully. Neglect these precautions, and the 

 blindness of some plants or the flowerless condition of others is explained. 



Can it be really true that so much fuss is necessary in so very small a 

 matter as getting a few strawberries ripe in May ? Will nothing less than 

 two years' coddling, and pots as big as a hat crown, furnish this fruit a few 

 weeks before its natural season ? And are gardeners excusable for losing 

 their crop because they have not been two years in their place, or because 

 the pots are not of the regulation size? Let us see. 



In the garden of the Horticultural Society, in the year 1855, Mr. Gordon 

 caused runners to be taken up from the ordinary plants in the open borders 

 in the first week in August, and potted in 2i-inch pots (small 60s) ; the soil 

 used was a mixture of rotten cow dung and loam (quarter dung, three-quar- 

 ters loam.) When potted they were placed in a close frame until established, 

 and when the roots had filled the little pots, which was in about four or five 

 weeks, the plants were shifted in the same kind of soil as before into 4-inch 

 fruiting pots (48s). They were afterwards transferred to a fully exposed 

 situation in the open air, where they remained until the first week in De- 

 cember, at which time they were removed to a border in an unheated orchard 

 house, where they were kept rather dry during winter. On the 14th of 

 March the pots were removed to the front shelf in a Curvilinear vinery, 

 kept at a temperature of 40° until the middle of April, when the temperature 

 was raised to 55°. The plants were watered twice when the fruit was 

 fairly set at an interval of three days, with a weak liquid manure, made 

 with half-rotted cow-dung and water, allowed to stand a few days before 

 using. 



An(l"what Avas the result of this simple common sense operation, unas- 

 sisted by two years' preparation, big pots, and other etceteras of practical 

 Strawberry growing ? The result was a large, abundant crop of excellent 



