33O THE FORCING GARDEN. [jAN. 



different successions, in the manner I have stated for 

 cherries, forced in pots or tubs ; bringing in a hun- 

 dred or two hundred at a time ; that is, in places 

 where there are several forcing-houses ; and they 

 take in the first class sometimes as early as Novem- 

 ber or December. Plants, however, placed in the 

 forcing-house before the first of the year, seldom 

 produce a crop worth the trouble of attending to 

 them. 



There are different ways of preparing the plants 

 for forcing : Some force old roots or stools, and 

 others the runners only. Those who force the old 

 roots, generally lift and pot them about October or 

 November ; lifting a bulk from the bed or row, 

 nearly sufficient to fill a nine or ten inch pot, of 

 plants three or more years old. Others plant run- 

 ners of the former year, in April, three or four in a 

 large pot, or two in a middle-sized one, and plunge 

 them in the earth all summer, giving them occasion- 

 al waterings, and taking proper care of them. These 

 succeed better than old roots, treated as above. But 

 when I was in the practice of forcing strawberries, 

 I used to prepare my plants in the following man- 

 ner : 



In July or August, I planted runners of that sea- 

 son, three in a nine or ten inch pot, watered them, 

 and placed them in the shade for a few days ; then 

 plunged them to the brim, in a freely exposed situa- 

 tion. In October, their leaves were dressed off, 

 and the plants trimmed ; and before winter, they 

 were covered with a little dry litter, in order to 

 preserve the pots from the effects of frost. The 



