THE STRAWBERRY 173 



words, it must consist of fine particles of soil, such as that passed through a 

 small-meshed sieve ; it must be entirely free from hard lumps, stones, or any- 

 thing likely to impede the progress of the tiny rootlets. We have found 

 nothing more suitable than good loam. Preparing the soil and fiUing the small 

 pots should be commenced early, so that when the runners are ready for layering 

 there need be no delay occasioned by having to wait for pots. One should 

 know beforehand approxi- 

 mately how many plants 

 will be required, and as 

 many small pots filled with 

 the prepared compost should 

 be made ready.' It is advis- 

 able to keep the small pots 

 (when they are filled) some- _^^_^ 

 where in the shade ; if placed t>" a " Runner " bearing Plantlets 



where the sun can reach °^ Varying Sizes 



them the soil becomes dry („, pirst runners of layering size ; (/) second runners, not desir- 

 and hard, and needs soaking able unless runners are scarce ; (?) third runner ; {r) 



with water to moisten it runner stem extending; {s) point of cutting off runner 



thoroughly again. No less 



important than keeping the prepared pots in the shade, is the necessity for 

 placing them where they are sheltered from the rain, otherwise the soil, if the 

 weather is at all wet, will become sodden and totally unsuitable as a rooting 

 medium for the young strawberry plants. We have always made use of a shed 

 that faces north for the preparation of the soil and filling the pots, then stacking 

 them upon each other until required. When the runners are ready, it is an 

 easy matter to take them to the strawberry ground in a wfheelbarrow. 



Before commencing to insert the runners in the small pots, there are several 

 minor details whose observance will greatly tend to convenience of working, 

 and also, to some extent, will affect the future welfare and progress of the 

 plants. In the first place, the worker should so dispose the pots as to leave the 

 path between every other row entirely clear, so that one may pass along without 

 fear of doing any damage to the plants. This is of importance, because when 

 the runners are well rooted and growing strongly, they take a surprising amount 

 of water. It is not wise to layer a larger number of runners from any one 

 plant than is necessary to make up the quantity required. The object should 

 be to have the runners distributed as evenly as possible throughout the planta- 

 tion ; much then will have been achieved towards obtaining plants of regular 

 and satisfactory growth. For instance, if two thousand young strawberry plants 

 are required, and there are, say, four hundred old plants from which to obtain 

 them, select about five runners from each. It is obviously unwise to take 

 a larger number from one plant than is necessary, for they must suffer to a 

 certain extent, and in fact, they do, for " blind " ones are likely to be more 

 numerous if too many are selected from one parent plant. It will be noticed 

 that upon each stalk-like growth several of these tiny plants are produced, and 

 here again a word of caution is necessary. If sufficient plants can thus be 



