THE STRAWBERRY 171 



STRAWBERRY CULTURE UNDER GLASS 



By H. H. THOMAS 



Although strawberries are not produced by artificial means to the same 

 extent as they are grown out-of-doors in the Kentish fields, they are nevertheless 

 grown in such numbers in glass-houses as to make their culture an important 

 industry. Curiously enough, as the bulk of open-air strawberries are obtained 

 from Kent, so also are those grown under glass, the neighbourhoods of Swanley, 

 Bexley Heath, and other Kentish districts being chiefly responsible for the early 

 market supplies. During spring the prices asked for good strawberries arc very 

 high, and taking into consideration the expense and labour involved in pro- 

 ducing them at such an early season, this is not to be wondered at. 



It will be well first to consider the most suitable structure in which to 

 cultivate forced strawberry plants, and in doing so we shall find they will 

 succeed in a variety of houses, providing these possess an efficient heating 

 apparatus and are able to admit plenty of light. Those who grow supplies for 

 market endeavour, of course, to conduct their work as economically as possible, 

 and therefore prefer span-roofed houses because they are less expensive to build, 

 and will hold more plants than lean-to structures. So that the plants may have 

 all sunlight possible so early in the year, the span-roofed houses should run from 

 north to south. One side will then receive the morning sun, the other side the 

 afternoon sun, and the midday sun will benefit both sides of the house equally. 

 The houses should be low, otherwise it will be necessary to erect wooden 

 stages so as to bring the plants near the glass, and this would incur considerable 

 extra expense and labour. The nearer the plants are to the glass within reason 

 (they should not be closer than, say, 18 inches), the better will they flower and 

 fruit. The height from the central pathway to the apex of the roof should be 

 just sufficient to allow one to walk along comfortably. At the base of either 

 slope the roof rests upon short brick walls about 2 feet high. The houses 

 built by those who grow strawberries for market vary in length from 100 to 

 200 feet. They are 10 feet wide inside and 6 feet high to the apex of the 

 roof. Along the centre of the house runs a pathway about 20 inches or 2 feet 

 wide, and on either side of this are placed six rows of plants in 6-inch pots, a 

 number that conveniently fills the two beds. The brick walls of the house 

 are 18 inches above the level of the ground outside, and the pathway has there- 

 fore to be sunk in order to allow the workmen to pass along conveniently. 

 Several houses are often built, as it were, in one. Supposing three houses to 

 be built together, there would be three distinct span roofs, but only two solid 

 walls, and these the two outside ones. The purpose of the inner walls is 

 served by brick pillars built at intervals along where the wall would ordinarily 

 be. While giving all necessary support, this system admits of a free circulation 

 of air throughout the three houses, and the plants are almost as well oiF in 

 this respect (if the houses are well ventilated) as if growing out-of-doors. 



We see, then, that if houses are specially built for the cultivation of forced 

 strawberries, low-spanned roofed ones are at once the most suitable and 



