pickers between the rows. As some varieties would cover the whole space between the 

 rows with runners in one season, it is necessary to remove those not wanted with the 

 cultivator or hoe. 



The so-called single hedge and double hedge row systems are merely modifications 

 of the matted row. The runners, instead of being allowed to form indiscriminately, 

 are most of them removed and the rest placed where it is desired for them to grow. 

 In the single hedge row system, two to four runners are left on, and these are placed 

 in line with the row on each side of the parent plant. 



When grown in this way the rows are two and one-half to three feet apart and the 

 original plants about two feet or more apart in the rows. When the row is formed, 

 the plants are six to eight inches apart in a single row. 



In the double row system, six runners are left to each plant in the row and two 

 on each side of the original row, all about equal distances apart. Trained in this way, 

 the original rows should be about three feet apart and the plants two feet or more in 

 the row. 



The twin hedge row system provides for two rows sixteen to eighteen inches apart 

 with the plants at first about two feet apart in the row, with a wider space of two 

 feet for a path and for cultivation between each pair of rows. The hedge row system 

 requires considerably more labour than the matted row, but the returns will often well 

 pay the grower for the extra amount of work. By this method the plants get more 

 opportunity to develop strong crowns, better cultivation can be given and more of the 

 plant food in the soil will be available, resulting in larger and better fruit. 



Hill System. 



Large berries may be obtained by growing the plants by what is known as the 

 ' Hill System.' The plants are set from twelve to fifteen inches apart, in rows two to 

 two and one-half feet apart; the blossoms are pinched off the first season as in the 

 other system and no runners are allowed to form. By this method a very strong 

 crown is developed; the plants, having more room, become vigorous and as a result 

 the fruit is large, and sometimes as good crops are obtained as from the matted row. 



However, winter injury is much more likely to occur when plants are grown 

 individually, and if plants grown in hills die from heaving or from some other form 

 of winter-killing they leave large blanks, causing a great lessening of the crops. 

 Unless kept well cultivated or well mulched in summer, plants suffer more in a dry 

 time in hills than in the matted row, where the crowns are better protected by foliage. 

 If the plants are kept well mulched, very fine fruit is produced when strawberries are 

 grown in hills, which sometimes makes this method preferable when growing straw- 

 berries for home use. 



Winter Protection. 



After permanent frost has set in and the ground is quite solid, the plants should 

 be covered with a light coat of clean straw, that which will not pack closely over the 

 plants being the best, marsh hay being very good and free from weed seeds. This 

 mulch will prevent the alternate thawing and freezing of the ground in the spring 

 and protect the plants if there is not much snow in winter. A heavy mulch may cause 



