THE STRAWBERRY. 



189 



lifting it carefully, and then replanting in the permanent 

 bed. The better way, however, is to fill some 3in. pots 

 with good turfy soil, plunge these half their depth in the 

 soil near the plants, place the plantlet nearest the parent 

 plant on the soil, and fix it firmly thereon by means of a 

 peg or a stone. In this case pinch off the point of the 

 runner close to the plantlet. The soil in the pots must 

 be regularly watered in dry weather. This layering pro- 

 cess should be done in June or early July; then the plant- 

 lets will be sufficiently rooted to sever from the parent 



Fig. 76. MODE OF LAYERING STRAWBERRIES. 



1 Layering runners on the soil. 2 Layering runners in pots. 



plant early in August. Care should be taken to select 

 runners only from plants that are fruiting freely, other- 

 wise the rooted runners may prove infertile next season. 

 (Fig. 76.) 



Soil and Position. The Strawberry will succeed on 

 most soils that are rich in humus, deeply dug, and not 

 too heavy or damp. Clay soils should be deeply dug, 

 liberally manured and limed, and have also plenty of de- 

 cayed refuse or grit added to them to render them porous. 

 Light soils require a dressing of clay or loam, and plenty 



