•-J7 



oyer Fig. 18 _ This can be dono by keeping the cultivator going through them quite 

 olten, narrowing it down as the rows widen out with plants. 



Before winter sets in, scatter a liberal quantity of rotted compost among the vines, 

 thereby protecting them from freezing, enriching the surface, and acting as a fine mulch 

 an " m S 1 the vmes the followin g season. Work among them thoroughly with the fork 

 and cultivator just about the time they commence to blossom. As soon as they are 

 through fruiting plow or spade between the rows, turning the edge of the rows under, 

 leaving them about six inches in width. Level the ground down and work the rows 

 out clean, tearing out some of the plants if they should be matted too thickly together. 



A. light, two-horse harrow answers this purpose well, or, what is still better, 



Thomas Smoothing Harrow and Broadcast Weeder," as it scratches the ground 

 nicely ameng the plants, by passing over the plantation across the rows. By this 

 operation the fresh ground gets drawn in among the plants. 



Scatter manure among them, keep clean, and take same care as before described. 

 After these rows have occupied the same place for three or four years, the runners can 

 be allowed to run from the rows and fill up every row, allowing all to fruit, and after 

 fruiting, plow the space occupied by the old rows under, leaving about a foot in width 

 of the new plants ; allow these to fruit, and take the same care as above described. If 

 the ground is kept well manured and clean, they can occupy the same ground for years. 



One great objection to this method is that it requires so much finger picking to keep 

 clean, which is very laborious. When grown thus, the weeds should not be allowed to 

 get started early in the season. If they do, it will be impossible to keep them clean 

 afterwards. They should be kept thoroughly cleaned out, and not a weed allowed to 

 grew before the plants commence throwing out runners. 



HILL AND ROW SYSTEM. 



Fig. SO. 



We have noticed for the past few years that when runners have been kept off from 

 plants until quite late in the season, and then allowing a few to grow and take root, 

 that the young plants formed from such were very strong, and bore large crops of fruit 

 the following season. This can be accounted for from the fact of the plant having the 

 full strength of its root, obtained a strong, full growth, and where a few runners were 

 allowed to grow and root, they partook of the strength and vigor of the parent plant. 



We have, therefore, satisfied ourselves from experiments that this is one of the best, 

 if not the best, methods of growing strawberries, both for home use and market. By 

 thus keeping the runners off until late in the season, it gives a chance to work the rows 

 out clean with cultivator and hoe up to the time when weeds stop growing, or if a few 

 do grow they cannot ripen their seed. Then, by allowing the runners to grow, and 

 «he ground stirred up, just enough plants will form between the original or parent 



