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with rampant vice in the same heart. Both weeds and vices are 

 fought best when the}^ are little. Mr. Downing told me of a man 

 who was noted for having one of the neatest and cleanest nurseries 

 in the country. The secret of his success was that he kept 

 stirring the ground so often that the weeds could not get started 

 or established. At the same time he employed less help than 

 others cultivating the same space. If, as is often the case on good 

 ground and with some varieties, the plants commence running in 

 June, let the little boy commence with his shears and continue to 

 clip off all runners as long as they form. 



The mulch can be left between the rows, keeping the weeds 

 from growing during the busy season. About the first of Septem- 

 ber the mulch will be quite rotten and the weeds pushing through 

 it. Now spade or plow it under and weed the rows out thor- 

 oughly. But the best results will be obtained by digging the 

 mulch under as soon as the bearing season is over and cultivating 

 between the rows till the plants are again covered for winter. 

 This turning under the mulch in July, August, or even September, 

 will so renew the plants that by winter they will be stronger 

 than ever and give even a better crop the ensuing year. Beds 

 thoroughly cleaned in September will scarcely become weedy 

 before winter and can wait till spring before another weeding. 

 Thus with a heavy mulch between the rows, two thorough clean- 

 ings a year will keep them in good condition in most cases. As 

 the ground begins to freeze give winter protection as before. 



This treatment can be kept up from three to six years, 

 according to the variety. The Triomphe de Gand would con- 

 tinue productive even seven years, I think. 



As soon as the. plants of any kind begin to fail, dig or plow 

 all under and make a new bed somewhere else. Do not keep a 

 strawberry bed ten or fifteen years in the same place, saying 

 with an acquaintance of mine, " It is more convenient there than 

 anywhere else." Nature in this respect is justly called a " dame," 

 and her will is not to be trifled with. She has a feminine love 

 of variety and gets tired even of strawberries after a time. If 

 one aims, therefore, to put his beds not merely where they are 



