Strawberry 



( 369 ) 



Strelitzia 



become clean, and will then serve as a sweet bed 

 upon which the developing fruits may rest and 

 thus be kept clean. Forked twigs and even string 

 are occasionally employed for this purpose, but 

 straw is the best. With very dry weather at this 

 period thorough waterings with clear water and 

 liquid manure are necessary, repeating at intervals. 

 Manure should not be given after the fruits are 

 half swollen. Thinning of the fruits may be 

 resorted to when specially line specimens are 

 required. The beds must be protected from birds 

 by carefully netting them, or vast numbers of 

 fruits will be destroyed. For dessert fruit a con- 

 venient length of stalk should be retained in 

 gathering. When the crop is harvested all weeds, 

 superfluous runners, large old leaves, and the 

 remains of the long litter should be at once 

 removed, and, if necessary, the surface soil may 

 be lightly forked over. Some light, rich soil should 

 be placed about the crowns in winter, and dressings 

 of good farmyard manure may bo applied. Where 

 this is not forthcoming soot will be found of great 

 value, as also will nitrate of soda applied in the 

 spring ; the latter should not be put on the plants. 



Alpine Strawberries. These may be grown 

 fit her from seeds or runners, the former being the 

 better system. It the seeds are sown as soon as 

 ripe the seedlings quickly appear, and when they 

 have made four leaves should be planted in beds ; 

 the rows should be 12" apart, and the plants a 

 similar distance asunder in the rows. If the beds 

 are mulched in autumn with decayed manure and 

 leaves, the plants will bear well the following year. 



Strawberries for Preserving. In many cases the 

 small fruits from the ordinary beds are utilised for 

 this purpose, but almost all the best varieties are 

 unsuitable, as the fruits go to a pulp in boiling. 

 Vicomtesse Hericart de Thury (syn. Garibaldi) is 

 one ot the few that retains its form. Where large 

 quantities of fruit are required they should be 

 -perially grown, the best varieties being Grove End 

 Scarlet and Koseberry. The plants should be 

 placed ;>" apart in beds 4' wide, and be allowed to 

 spread over the entire surface of the beds, as the 

 leaves will then form a clean bed for the fruit. 

 The plants bear very freely, and the fruit (toes not 

 smash. 



Perpetual Fruiting Strawberries. This is com- 

 paratively a new race, which has been raised by 

 French growers. Its chief merit lies in very late 

 fruiting, when the superior, larger fruiting varieties 

 are over. Propagation is by runners as with other 

 Strawberries, but care must be taken to pick out 

 the very early flowers, or the plants will never 

 become properly established. The best varieties at 

 present are St. Antoine de Padoue and St. Joseph, 

 and both may be grown either in the open ground 

 or in pots. 



Strawberries in Pots. Five- and six-inch pots 

 are employed, the former for the very early and 

 the latter for successional varieties. A compost of 

 turfy loam pulled to pieces, and one-fifth of decayed 

 manure with some soot and wood ashes, is excel- 

 lent, and the pots must be cleati and well (trained. 

 Runners may be layered directly into these in 

 summer, but though one potting is saved the 

 system is not generally adopted, as the large bulk 

 o"f soil destitute! of routs is liable to become sour 

 through constant waterings. After potting the 

 pots are best on ash beds, where the crowns \\ ill 

 become thoroughly ripened, and watering can be 

 conveniently attended to. Only one crown is 

 54 



desirable, and all buds springing from the sides 

 must be removed. Very early plants may be 

 plunged in cold frames in November, the lights 

 being on during heavy rains, snow, or frosts. 

 Later batches can have the pots banked up with 

 ashes, and have light litter scattered over them in 

 severe weather. For fruiting, the plants may be 

 placed on shelves in vineries, greenhouses, or other 

 structures,, but 'they must be near the glass, and in 

 such a position that air can have t'iccess to them. 

 Where large quantities of plants are grown lean-to 

 houses with a movable step stage should be pro- 

 vided. The maximum night temperature at the 

 commencement of early forcing should be 45, and 

 the day temperature 10 to 15 higher. This may be 

 gradually increased until, with the ripening fruit, 

 75 with full ventilation may be allowed. An abun- 

 dance of fresh air is requisite at all periods, and 

 syringing must be done morning and evening in fine 

 weather until the plants are in flower. Watering 

 and feeding must be carefully attended to ; the soil 

 must never be allowed to become dry, but less 

 water will be required when the early fruits are 

 colouring. Mildew must be guarded against by 

 care in ventilation, avoiding a close, stagnant 

 atmosphere at all times. If it appear, dust the 

 plants with flowers of sulphur. In case of aphides, 

 apply tobacco powder. Red spider will attack 

 indoor plants unless syringing and watering be 

 regularly attended to. 



Selections of Varieties : 



for (li'iural Use: 



Countess. Monarch. 



Dr. Hogg. Newton Seedling. 



Elton Pine. President. 



Guuton Park. Royal Sovereign. 



Latest of All. Sir Joseph Paxton. 



Lord Suffield. Vieomtesss Hericart de 



Louis Gauthier. Thury (Garibaldi). 



Mentrnore (see p. 368). Waterloo. 



For I arcing : 



Royal Sovereign \ v , 



Vicomtesse Hericart de Thury f v uy ea y ' 

 Keens' Seedling 

 La Grosse Sucree 



Auguste Nicaise 

 Dr. Hogg 



Second early. 

 > Late forcing. 



STREBLORRHIZA. 



Speciosa, a half-hardy climbing shrub, is the 

 only known species (ord. Leguminosie). It grows 

 'A' to 4' in height, and bears flesh coloured blossoms 

 in May. Propagation, by seeds. Soil, fibrous loam 

 and leaf mould. 



STREBLUS. 



A small genus (ord. Urticacese). Two species, 

 asper and mitis, are known. They form small trees 

 'X.Y high, bearing alternate, deciduous leaves and 

 minute flowers. Neither is worthy of cultivation. 



STRELITZIA. 



An interesting genus (ord. Scitamineae) of orna- 

 mental, warm greenhouse, evergreen herbs. The 

 llmvers are peculiar by reason of their shape and 

 colouring. The dwarf species have usually orange 

 and purple flowers, borne in one-sided racemes on 

 stalks 3' to 4' high, while augusta has white and 

 blue flowers crowded together on stalks which 

 barely rise above the leaf sheaths. Propagation, 

 liv seeds, rarely by division. Soil, good fibrous 

 loam. ith plenty of grit and pieces of stone or 

 bricl- r bbish to keep it open. The best results 



