598 



THE STRAWBERRY. 



peditiously and well. Fig. 802 represents the "excavator," 

 Fig. 8"o3 the " transplanter," and Fig. 804 the " ejector." 



Treading the earth firmly about 

 the plants when set lessens the lia- 

 bility to winter-killing. 



A spontaneous renewal of plants 

 may be effected by allowing run- 

 ners to fill up the spaces between 

 the rows, and then spading in the 

 old rows. By thus filling alternate 

 spaces in two successive years, an 

 annual supply of fruit is afforded. 

 This method of renewal has not 

 been generally adopted. 



Mulching among the plants, to 

 keep the berries from becoming 

 soiled with earth, should not be 

 omitted. Straw answers a good 

 purpose, and is more easily and 

 neatly applied, if chopped short, 

 say two or three inches. Rye 

 straw, threshed .by hand, will lie 

 more smoothly than any other long 

 straw. Applied in autumn, straw 

 will protect from winter-killing, 

 and may be renewed or retained in 

 spring. 



CULTIVATION OF STRAWBERRIES. Clean cultivation is a 

 most essential requisite. On a large scale, it may be very 

 cheaply accomplished by a horse and cultivator, the rows be- 

 ing about three feet apart, and the plants a foot to a foot and a 

 half in the rows. The treatment may be varied with circum- 

 stances, provided the great leading requisite is constantly kept 

 in view, namely, to allow no weeds to get above the surface. This 

 is the great cardinal essential, which must not be departed 

 from. After the plantation is set out in clean, well-prepared 

 soil, stir the ground often enough to destroy the sprouting 

 weeds before they get to the light. The work may be then 

 done with less than a tenth of the labor required after the 

 weeds are several inches high ; and all the labor of this fre- 



FIG. 802. 



FIG. 8o 3 . 



