CHAPTER XI. 



DISTANCE APART. 



Call all plants from late runners weeds. TIM. 



I CONSIDER this one of the most important chapters 

 in the book, for strawberry culture depends largely 

 on the distance the plants stand from each other 

 at fruiting time. Most growers have too many plants 

 on the ground, which insures small berries, low prices 

 for those marketed, much extra labor in picking and 

 general failure. It is not so important how closely 

 the rows or plants are as first set out, but how thickly 

 the plants are allowed to remain in the matted rows is 

 an essential consideration, which does not receive the 

 attention that it deserves. 



Rows a Month After 

 Planting 



Hills at Bearing 



I will illustrate the matted row and hill systems 

 of culture. Some growers prefer the wide matted 

 row, some the narrow ; some prefer to keep the 

 plants in hills, cutting off all runners. For myself 

 I like best the wide matted row, for I believe if the 

 plants are not allowed to become too thickly matted, 

 they do better this way. Strawberries must be shaded 

 from the sun, they color better, and hold out better 



