THE STRAWBERRY 179 



After having been in a shady part of the garden for a week or so, they may 

 be removed to an open and sunny position, there to complete their growth. 

 The ground upon which they are placed should be level and hard, and covered 

 with a thin layer of ashes. This will serve both as a cool base for the plants, 

 and will prevent the entrance of worms into the pots. Arrange the plants in 

 rows 9 or lo inches apart, placing the pots about 4 inches from each other 

 in the rows. After the sixth row, leave a small pathway sufficiently wide 

 to allow a person to walk along for the purpose of watering. By having this 

 passage after every sixth row of plants, the three rows upon either side of it can 

 be watered with ease. 



Watering. — Giving water to the plants will now be the most important 

 work of the cultivator, and this must be attended to with care. When well 

 rooted the plants will take a surprising amount of water, two or even more 

 applications being necessary daily during the hottest weather ; and that they 

 are not allowed to suffer from the want of water is, it need hardly be said, of 

 the utmost importance. Every afternoon, about five o'clock, when the sun 

 has ceased to shine directly upon them, syringe the plants, for this promotes a 

 clean and healthy growth and keeps down insect pests. Remove all runners 

 that appear by pinching them off when quite small, and eradicate weeds. In 

 the early autumn examine the plants and remove any side-growths or off-shoots 

 that have formed. These minor " crowns " or growths are valueless. When 

 the autumn is unusually wet, strawberry plants (some varieties more than 

 others) have a tendency to divide or to split up into several small crowns in 

 this way. In such a case, that is, where no one growth is much better than 

 another, the only course to adopt is to select, say, three of the best, and remove 

 the remainder. 



During the late summer a slight top dressing of some artificial manure is 

 beneficial. It should be sprinkled veiy thinly upon the soil, lightly pricking it 

 in the latter with a pointed stick to prevent its being blown or washed away. 



Winter Protection. — Upon the approach of winter it becomes necessary 

 to protect the plants to a certain extent from the efi^ects of frost, not so much 

 the plants themselves perhaps as the roots and the pots. There are various 

 methods employed. Some cultivators simply stack the strawberry pots on their 

 sides, spreading a little straw over the uppermost layer. For simplicity the 

 method is to be commended, but the plants packed in this way often suffer 

 from the soil becoming dry, and we think the plan we are about to describe, 

 which has been practised in the Royal Gardens for many years with hundreds 

 of thousands of plants, is more effectual and hardly less simple. First, place the 

 plants closely together in a straight line ; then place a layer of bracken or 

 ashes (preferably the former) alongside the pots ; next a row of plants, and 

 press these against the bracken so that it forms an effectual layer between them. 

 The roots will then be protected, and the pots prevented from cracking. 

 This they are very liable to do if exposed to severe frost. Continue to 

 place a row of plants and a layer of bracken alternately until all have been 

 disposed of. The first row will also need covering on the outside. Many 

 thousands of plants can be placed together upon a small piece of ground when 



