174 THE FRUIT GARDEN 



obtained, take only one from each stalk, and that nearest to the parent-plant 

 will usually be found to be the best. When two or more plantlets originating 

 from the same stalk are layered, the first invariably takes the lead, much to 

 the detriment of the others. In any but exceptionally bad seasons it is rarely 

 that enough runners will not be obtained by going over all the plants, selecting 

 an even number from each, and not more than one from the same stalk. 



" Blind " Runners. — But even more important than any of the foregoing 

 precautions, is the necessity for discarding any " blind " runners there may be, 

 and layering only those which are good and sound. A runner is technically known 

 as " blind " when its centre (whence, of course, emanate the young leaves, and 

 eventually the flowers and fruit) has become abortive, and growth apparently 

 has practically ceased. A '' blind " runner can easily be recognised, for the 

 centre of the tiny plant, if felt, will be found to be empty — to contain no 

 embryo leaves. To insert many " blind " runners in the pots will mean, 

 besides the expenditure of much fruitless labour, a very serious loss to the 

 cultivator, for none of them will produce flowers, and therefore, no fruit. 

 If many of these abortive plants have escaped the notice of the grower 

 during the work of layering, the number of plants at his disposal for forcing 

 will be considerably diminished. It will be seen, therefore, that the greatest 

 care should be exercised in selecting the runners for layering. A certain 

 number of " blind " runners will always be layered, but that cannot be helped, 

 for some few may become " blind " after layering, or may have been passed 

 as sound when they were really otherwise. 



Having selected a sufficient number of runners from each plant, a corre- 

 sponding number of small pots should be placed around the plant where the 

 runners may be most conveniently layered into them, bearing in mind the- 

 necessity, as above explained, of keeping every alternate pathway open to 

 allow of watering being done without difficulty. The pots should be plunged 

 in the ground, so that the roots are kept cool and not exposed to the 

 fierce sun heat. The labour of watering is much diminished by taking the 

 precaution to plunge the pots, and the benefit to the plants themselves is also 

 considerable, for the soil is thereby kept cool and moist, and remains more 

 suitable as a rooting medium than if it were baked hard and dry by exposure 

 to the sun. 



Layering. — Such are some of the most important preliminary items to 

 be borne in mind when proceeding to layer strawberries ; having disposed of 

 them we may say a few words with reference to the actual operation. By 

 layering the runner is indicated its insertion in the pot of soil that it may 

 become well rooted, and eventually firmly established there, and there are 

 various methods of accomplishing this object. That found by us to be the 

 one most worthy of recommendation, and one we have practised very largely, 

 is the following. Having plunged the pot in the ground, take a piece of raffia, 

 or a shred pulled from an old mat, or a cloth shred (such as is used to attach 

 the shoots of fruits trees growing against walls) about 3 or 3J inches long, 

 double it around the stalk of the runner close to the plant, and then with a 

 small pointed stick press the shred into the soil of the pot so deeply that the 



