ON THE PROPAGATION OF STRAWBERRY PLANTS. 281 



only ; and I contend that whenever they are found wholly lifeless round 

 the surface of the mould of the pots, as they often are after unfavourable 

 winters, the growth and produce of the plants in the succeeding season 

 will be much diminished. 



The mode of management which I have adopted, and which it is the 

 object of the present communication to recommend, is the following. 



I manure a small piece of ground very highly, but very superficially, 

 just covering the manure with mould ; thus deviating widely from my 

 ordinary practice of putting the manure deep in the soil to occasion the 

 roots to descend deep, that they may be enabled to supply proper moisture 

 in dry weather. The ground being prepared, the strongest and best 

 rooted runners of the preceding year are selected and planted in rows, 

 one foot apart, in the beginning of March. The distance between each 

 plant is eight inches in one half the rows, and four inches only in the 

 other half, the thickly and thinly planted rows occurring alternately. In 

 July all the plants of the thickly planted rows are removed to ground 

 that has produced an early crop of peas or potatoes ; and these, having 

 their roots well preserved, always afford me an abundant crop of fruit in 

 the following summer. The other plants remain unnoticed till the end 

 of November, when the mould between the rows is removed with the 

 spade, and the most widely extended lateral roots detached from it. The 

 spade is also made to pass under each plant, and between it and the next 

 adjoining, so that each plant becomes capable of being removed at a sub- 

 sequent period without having any of its roots ruptured ; and the whole 

 of these should be preserved as entire as is practicable. As each plant 

 becomes detached from the surrounding soil, the ground is closed around 

 it, and it remains till it is wanted ; but it should be placed in its pots as 

 early as the middle of February, if it be not sooner removed. At this 

 period innumerable radicles will be seen to spring from the sides of the 

 older roots, and these readily extend themselves into any proper soil that 

 is placed in contact with them. I always employ soil of the richest 

 quality, and very finely reduced ; and a good deal of water, holding 

 manure in solution, is employed to occasion the newly introduced soil to 

 occupy all space previously vacant in the pots. The plants are then in a 

 state to be subjected immediately to artificial heat. 



Having denied, in opposition to the generally received opinion, that 

 the slender fibrous roots of trees and plants, having the habits of trees, 

 are of annual duration only ; and the subject being of much importance 

 to the gardener ; I will state a few facts in support of my opinion. That 

 many of the fibrous roots usually perish in winter I admit ; but under 



