THE STRAWBERRY 



177 



bear a crop ot fruits, as well as develop runners. In the one instance, all the 

 plants' energies are devoted to the production of runners, and in the other 

 they have to bear a double burden. This practice is not, of course, absolutely 

 necessary, especially if the straw^berry plants are growing upon good ground, 

 and are well looked after ; it is, however, of great advantage. For some years 

 we made a practice of annually planting a piece of ground with strong and 

 well-rooted runners, from which the following year we obtained splendid plants 

 for pot culture, and the results quite justified the practice. 



Preparation for Potting. — Presuming the plants to have been layered, 

 preparation should be made for repotting them, in early August, into larger pots 

 in which they will bear fruit. The chief ingredient of the soil must be good 

 turfy loam, preferably turf cut from meadow land, and built the previous autumn 

 into a large stack. Many cultivators place a layer 

 of manure between each layer of turves as the 

 stacking proceeds, and this is a plan to be recom- 

 mended, for the soil is made much richer thereby. 

 There is another considerable advantage in 

 obtaining the loam and stacking it out-of-doors 

 the year before it is required for use. It often 

 happens that fresh soil contains a great number 

 of wire-worms, and if this should be the case, full 

 exposure throughout the winter would prove of 

 great benefit. The soil also by such exposure L 

 becomes more suitable as a rooting medium 

 than that freshly cut from a pasture. Prepare 

 the soil for potting, if possible, under cover, so 

 that it may be sheltered from rain. If an open 

 shed is not available to protect it, cover it over 

 with boards. To obtain the best results with 

 forced strawberries, the soil used for the final 

 potting should be of good quality. It must be 

 remembered that the plants remain in the pots 

 from August until the following February, 

 March, April, or May, as the case may be, and 

 that the strawberry is a vigorous grower and 

 feeder. Bearing this in mind, it will be seen 

 how essential it is that the soil should be good in the first place. Break up the 

 turves with a spade into pieces about the size of a pigeon's egg, taking care not 

 to smash it, otherwise the soil will be made too fine. With the loam should be 

 mixed a certain amount of manure ; we have found that taken from a spent mush- 

 room bed to be excellent material. It may be used in the proportion of one- 

 fourth to three-fourths of loam. A sprinkling of bone meal or crushed bones, 

 and of lime rubble broken small, is also of benefit. All the ingredients should 

 be well mixed together, and if the soil is dry it must be watered as the work of 

 turning and mixing proceeds. It is advisable to prepare a large heap of soil in 

 the first place, sufficient, if possible, to serve for potting the majority of the 



M 



Section op 6-inch Pot with 

 Plant Properly Potted 



(/) Drainage ; {g) soil, rougher part 

 over drainage ; (A) roots of 

 small plant from 3-inch pot ; 

 {i) space for holding water 

 when watering. 



