414 Cidtivation of the Straioberry. 



It would be satisfactory and useful to the readers of the 

 Horticultural Magazine, to know what is now the received 

 opinion of those who have enjoyed the best opportunities 

 to judge on the points presented in this concluding remark 

 of Dr. Bayne.— ./. S. S., Washington, D. C, Oct. 1843. 



This plant will adapt itself to almost any soil of mode- 

 rate fertility, but delights more particularly in a deep loam. 

 For the reception of the plants, select a loamy or sandy 

 soil ; spade in a thick layer of strong unfermented manure, 

 and thoroughly pulverize the earth ; mark otf the ground 

 by a line in rows three feet asunder, then select the strong- 

 est plants ; set them tweh-e inches from plant to plant in 

 the rows. Permit the runners to take entire possession of 

 every alternate space ; observing to eradicate weeds and 

 grass throughout the spring, summer and fall. 



The runners from the other space must be carefully de- 

 stroyed throughout this time. By this arrangement of the 

 plants yon will have your patch in beds three feet wide, 

 leaving a vacant space or alleys three feet wide for the 

 gatherers to walk on. After the fruit season is over, the 

 alleys or spaces unoccupied by plants may now be thor- 

 oughly worked for the reception of bearing plants for the 

 next year. The plants of the previous year must be 

 spaded under, taking care to leave sufficient plants in the 

 original rows for the production of bearing vines for the 

 next crop. By this simple mode of reversing the beds, a 

 patch upon the same ground may be continued productive 

 for several years. 



Another Plan. — To produce strawberries of extraordinary 

 size for exhibition, I would recommend the following pre- 

 paration : select the best soil and trench it at least two feet 

 deep ; incorporate well with the first twelve inches an 

 abundance of strong undecomposed manure ; pulverize and 

 rake the ground well, then mark off the rows twelve or fif- 

 teen inches asunder, and set the plants in the rows from 

 twelve to fifteen inches, according to the luxuriance and 

 vigor of the variety. During the first year, the runners 

 must be carefully and frequently destroyed before they be- 

 come rooted. By this means the stools become very vigor- 

 ous and bear the most abundant crops. In the spring after 

 the fruit is set, place around each plant a small quantity of 

 straw, or what is much better, cover the whole surface of 



