1 68 THE FRUIT GARDEN 



of. Where the work cannot be done before November, strawberries may be 

 planted as late as April ; for even if they produce but little fruit, they form fine 

 strong plants for the following year, and then produce double the crop obtained 

 from plants one year old. Remove any side runners that may form. At the 

 end of March remove the old litter in order to enable the planter to see if slugs, 

 snails, or other pests are about, but if the plants are clear of these the litter may 

 be replaced. If, however, they abound, the surface of the bed should be dressed 

 with soot or lime to check them, and the soil hoed over to kill any weeds. A 



Correct Methods of Planting Rooted Runners 



[x) Plantlet or runner from a 3-inch pot ; [j/) first rooted in turf; {z) cut round with 

 a trowel and lifted from the open ground with a ball of soil ; [a] carefully lifted 

 (though without soil). 



fresh mulching of manure can then be placed on the beds ; this will stimulate 

 fresh growth and become perfectly clean before the fruit ripens. In the event 

 of the old mulching being left on, some fresh clean straw should be laid round 

 the plants to keep the fruits clean. In some gardens the strawberry plant 

 makes a quantity of fohage, but bears little fruit. Under these circumstances 

 the land is perhaps too full of humus, and an application of artificial manure will 

 be an advantage, in conjunction with some well-slacked lime. 



The strawberry is very fickle as to its wants, and a variety which succeeds 

 in one place may fail in another, even under similar treatment. The favourite 

 British Queen is a case in point ; it prefers a chalky or heavy soil containing 

 iron, while Vicomtesse H. de Thury prefers a light porous soil. There 

 are others although failing totally in one county, yet are first-class in a 

 neighbouring one. Where only large handsome fruits are desired the flowers 

 may be thinned, removing the small and partially hidden ones. As soon as the 

 fruits are gathered the mulching should be raked off, the side runners and old 

 decaying foliage removed, the beds hoed over and kept free of weeds. No 

 plantation of strawberries should be allowed to remain more than three years. 

 One new bed made and one destroyed each year will insure a good supply of 

 fruits. Where facihties exist some even prefer to have no beds more than one 

 year old, and this may be advisable where a soil is quickly exhausted. But 

 after many years of observation we recommend strawberry plantations to be 

 left for two years, and for three years when small fruits for preserving purposes 

 are required. In order to get a few very early strawberries, plant closely 

 under a warm wall or upon an early border ; a few plants should be put out 

 3 feet apart each way and have liberal treatment. 



