Sept;] the fruit garden. 4§7 



have a part oi" an imperfect fruit formed which will sometimes 

 ripen. The hautboy strawberry is more subject to this than any of 

 the other kinds. The plants of either sort should never betaken from 

 old neglected beds where the stools had been suffered to spread or 

 run into a confused multitude of vines, nor from anv plants which 

 are not very fruitful; and those ott'sets which stand nearest to the 

 old plants should always be preferred. 



Strawberries in general, love a strong loamy ground, in which 

 they will thrive anil bear fruit more abundantly than in a light soil. 

 The ground should be somewhat moist, for if it is vervdrv, all the 

 watering which is given to the plants in warm dry seasons, will not 

 be sufficient to procure abundant crops; nor should the ground be 

 made overly rich with dung, for that would cause the plants to run 

 into suckers, grow too luxuriant, and render them less fruitful. 



Any time this month that the weather proves moist, you should 

 take advantage of it for making your general plantations of straw- 

 berries, but if dry and hot, it will be better to defer that work to 

 the last week thereof, or first in October, not later if possible, as 

 the plants will be greatly benefitted by having time to form good 

 roots before winter. But should the weather then prove unfavour- 

 able you should proceed to planting, after which, plentiful and fre- 

 quent waterings must be given till the plants are well rooted. 



The sets proper for planting at this time, are those produced in 

 the present year from the young runners, selecting them as before 

 noticed, or such as were taken oft' in June and transplanted into 

 nursery beds. When taken up, the roots should be trimmed, the 

 decayed leaves picked oft', and also any small vines or runners 

 issuing from the plants. 



The ground should be well dug and, if necessary, previously 

 manured with a sufficiency of old well rotted dung, then laid out 

 into four feet wide beds with allevs between, of eighteen or twenty 

 inches, tor the convenience or going in occasionally to weed and 

 water the plants and to gather the fruit. Each bed is to contain 

 four rows of plants, the larjje kinds eighteen inches distant in the 

 rows, and the small sorts fifteen. Close the earth well about the 

 roots of each plant, and when finished, water the whole plentifully 

 should the weather happen to be dry .it the time. 



The old strawberry beds will require to be kept clear from large 

 overgrown weeds, and in October are to have their autumn dress- 

 ing as there directed. 



N. B. If you intend to force strawberries in the winter or early 

 spring months, this is the time to pot them for that purpose. The 

 alpine and scarlet kinds are the best for forcing; they should be 

 strong plants of two years old, and in a proper state for full bear- 

 ing. Provide as many pots of about seven inches diameter at top, 

 and made in proportion, as you think may be sufficient, and at the 

 same time get some good loamy earth,* made fine with a spade, 

 place a few inches thereof into the bottom of each pot, previously 

 laying a shell over each hole as directed on former occasions, then 

 take up each plant with a ball of earth to its roots, pare the ball 

 neatly round with the knife, clear the plant from decayed leaves 



