172 THE STRAWBERRY GARDEN. 



" They were set in August, you said ? " 



' ' Yes, sir. It was very warm weather, and I remember 

 he had to water them often, to keep them from dying." 



" That was the cause of the failure. There is but one 

 time in the year to plant strawberries, and that is the spring. 

 Many people think differently, but my experience leads me 

 to plant only in May. So strongly am I impressed with 

 this, that I now refuse to sell plants in the fall, as I know 

 the result will only be a. loss of both plants, labor, and tem- 

 per. Fall planting is possible, but spring planting so 

 superior, that I sometimes wonder any one ever attempts 

 any other. Then the fact that the plants are only saved, 

 when planted in the fall, by liberal waterings, is an objec- 

 tion. If a plant will not flourish of its own unaided 

 strength, it had better die. It is a poor thing, not worth 

 the keeping. In May, watering is not required." 



"Now," said Kate, a you have reached our case. Our 

 plants are set out, and they look precisely like these. Long 

 rows of plants just sending out runners." 



" Except, Kate," said Johnny, " that our rows are twice 

 as thick." 



" Then you had better pull up every alternate row, so 

 that there will be a space of six feet between them." 



" Will they ever cover such a wide space, Mr. Harker ? " 



" No ; you must leave a path in the middle, three feet wide 

 and quite bare. This may seem extravagant of space ; but, 

 in my experience, the plants become so large, and hang 



