Fruits for Your Own Picking 145 



As the little plants grow, re-pot into four-inch 

 and then into six-inch pots, using a considerable 

 amount of cow manure and bone flour in the last 

 potting. This will give strong, vigorous crowns 

 by late fall, which may be put in a frame and 

 left there until along in January'. Then give 

 them the coolest place in the house, or the coolest 

 house. 



After growth starts, give a little warmer tem- 

 perature — 45 to 50 degrees at night, and keep 

 the plants as near the glass as possible. A very 

 good way is to use suspended shelves, with a 

 couple of wires tacked along the sides, to prevent 

 an}^ danger of the pots falling. If a warmer 

 temperature is available, the pots may be moved, 

 when the berries begin to reach full size, as they 

 will color more highly and have a finer flavor 

 if they can be given 55 or 60 degrees during the 

 period they are maturing; but they do not ab- 

 solutely need it. The main points are to have 

 a good rich soil, perfect drainage, and keep the 

 plants where they will receive all the sunlight 

 possible. 



In special houses, of course, they can be forced 

 much earlier, but this requires extra work, and 

 the flavor, until "Old Sol" really begins to get 

 his courage back along in late February or 

 March, is not up to par. Before that his smile is 



