Gardening for Amateurs 



decayed manure, about 3 inches deep. The 

 plants will need no further attention until 

 spring, when the same details of work should 

 be carried out as in the previous year. A 

 new plantation ought to be formed at least 

 every three years, but the best plan is to 

 plant a few rows every year and destroy the 

 same number of old ones, thus there will be 

 fresh plants coming into bearing every year. 

 VARIETIES. For all-round excellence there 

 is nothing to beat Royal Sovereign ; we 

 have nothing better. The best -flavoured 



Jand. 



Strawberries growing in a barrel. 



Strawberry is British Queen ; but, unfor- 

 tunately, it fails to bear satisfactory crops 

 in many gardens ; it succeeds best on a 

 heavy soil, and when fresh plantations are 

 made annually, late in August. Countess 

 is a handsome Strawberry of good flavour, 

 and the fruits are of rather large size. Dr. 

 Hogg is somewhat similar to British Queen 

 in flavour, and a better and more consistent 

 cropper. Fill basket is a large fruit, and 

 bears good crops, while the flavour is fairly 

 good. President is an old variety of rich 

 flavour, and very productive. The Bed- 

 ford is a heavy cropper, and of good flavour. 

 Sir Joseph Paxton is a popular market 

 variety, the flavour is good, while the flesh 

 is solid and the fruits travel well. A great 



favourite for preserving is Vicomtesse Heri- 

 cart de Thury, a small but richly flavoured 

 fruit. Waterloo is a late Strawberry, large 

 and of dark red colour ; it is of distinct 

 flavour, and does best on a border facing 

 north. Givon's Late Prolific is a free-bear- 

 ing variety of good flavour, probably the 

 best late Strawberry. Louis Gauthier is a 

 large pale pink variety of distinct flavour 

 that bears a heavy crop. 



Alpine Strawberries. Alpine Strawberries 

 are very useful for late summer and 

 autumn fruiting, but are not grown 

 so largely as they should be in 

 amateurs' gardens. The best results 

 are obtained by raising plants from 

 seed in spring ; it is found that these 

 grow more vigorous!}' and fruit with 

 greater freedom than plants propa- 

 gated from layers. Seed should be 

 sown in boxes of light sandy soil, 

 and placed in a greenhouse with a 

 temperature of 60. When the seed- 

 lings appear keep them near the glass 

 to promote sturdy growth, and when 

 they are large enough prick them off 

 separately in boxes. Grow them on 

 in the greenhouse, and finally remove 

 the boxes to a cold frame. 



About the end of July the plants 

 will be large enough to put out on a 

 well-prepared border with an eastern 

 aspect, so that they only receive the 

 sun early in the day. Failing that, 

 a partially shaded border should be 

 chosen. Put out the plants 6 inches 

 apart, and give water as required. They will 

 be ready to plant in their permanent quar- 

 ters in October. Choose an open position, 

 or one partially shaded will answer. Manure 

 the ground well, and cultivate it deeply 

 before planting. Put the plants out in rows 

 18 inches apart, and leave a space of 3 feet 

 after every four rows to allow room for 

 picking and general attention. Plant firmly, 

 and water the plants in well. Beyond run- 

 ning a Dutch hoe between the rows occa- 

 sionally no other treatment will be neces- 

 sary until the spring. Then all weeds must 

 be kept down, and the surface soil stirred 

 with the hoe regularly. When the flower 

 buds commence to show, pick them off 

 until July, when they may be allowed to 



