502 STRAWBERRIES. 



strongest of them will produce fruit during the autumn, 

 and continue in succession to a late period of the 

 season. But a succession of finer fruit than these is 

 produced by cutting off all the flower stems as soon as 

 they begin to blossom, from their commencement in 

 the spring till the end of June. By this means a most 

 abundant supply of the very finest fruit is produced 

 from the end of July till the frost sets in. 



In pursuing this latter mode of management, it would 

 be most advisable, perhaps, to plant a small-sized bed for 

 the purpose, allowing the plants a space of six or eight 

 inches from each other, instead of more, which will 

 ensure $ thicker crop ; and in all cases with Alpines, it 

 would be still better to have some of both Red and 

 Willie planted upon a north aspect, and that these 

 plantings should be removed annually. 



The Wood Strawberry requires the same manage- 

 ment, except in this, that as it does not produce its 

 fruit in the autumn, its flower stems must not be cut 

 down in the spring, in expectation of a succession crop. 



Forcing of Strawberries. 



Strawberries are in such general estimation, that a 

 supply of them during the season when they cannot be 

 obtained in the open ground is one of the principal 

 objects of the gardener's attention. The produce of 

 outdoor strawberries is terminated by the frosts in 

 October and November, until the following June : the 

 assistance of the forcing-house is required to furnish the 

 dessert during this interval. The Alpines are the first 

 to be brought into bearing by artificial heat. For this 

 purpose, pots of six inches deep and six inches wide at 

 the top should be made use of, planting four or five 

 young runners in each, in the month of March or April : 

 they must be kept through the summer, plunged in the 



