THE STRAWBERRY 163 



high bearing six main branches. To secure this the three shoots 

 arising from the three buds left on the cutting are shortened 

 back to four inches in the next winter but one from the time 

 of planting the cutting, and in the following spring all but two 

 of the buds on each of these three shoots are removed. The 

 bushes may be transplanted to their permanent quarters in the 

 autumn when two, or preferably, three years old, a distance of 

 five feet being allowed between each pair of bushes. 



The subsequent winter pruning of Black Currants differs from 

 that required by White and Red Currants owing to the fact that 

 the fruit of the Black Currant is borne mostly on the young wood, 

 while that of Ribes rubrum is borne on wood two to four years old. 

 Currants thrive best on a fairly moist rich loam, and they will 

 produce an abundant crop of fruit even in a north aspect, although 

 for the production of the maximum of sugar in the berries plenty 

 of sunlight is required. The ground is manured and cultivated 

 in the same way as that occupied by Gooseberries. On light 

 soils Currants are benefited by occasional watering with soapy 

 water. 



THE STRAWBERRY (Fragaria vesca) 



This occurs in the wild state in woods and on hedge banks 

 throughout Europe, Northern Asia, and North America. The 

 Hautboy (Fragaria elatior), a wild British variety, is distin- 

 guished from the common Wild Strawberry by its large fruit, its 

 greater height, and the smaller number of its flowers and runners. 

 Two other varieties are known, namely, the North American 

 Fragaria virginiana and the South American Fragaria chiloensis. 

 The Strawberry is a perennial plant possessing a short tufted stock, 

 from which thin stolons are produced, which root and form new 

 plants at each node. The very numerous modern varieties now 

 in cultivation are derived from crosses between the varieties 

 above mentioned. A vertical section of the pseudo-fruit shows 

 that it is composed of small carpels inserted on a much enlarged 

 juicy conical receptacle. 



The propagation of the Strawberry is easily effected by means 

 of rooted runners. The usual method adopted is as follows. 

 The ground round the plants is loosened with a fork so as to 



