STRAWBERRY 447 
The old way of growing a crop was to set the plants 10 to 12 inches 
apart, in rows 3 feet apart, and allow them to run and root at will, the 
results being a mass of small, crowded plants, each striving to obtain 
plant-food and none of them succeeding in getting enough. The last, 
or outside runners, having but the tips of their roots in the ground, are 
moved by the wind, heaved by the frost, or have the exposed roots 
dried out by the wind and sun. 
Ground rich in potash produces the firmest and best flavored berries. 
Excessive use of stable manure, usually rich in nitrogen, should be 
avoided, as tending to make too rank growth of foliage and berries of a 
soft texture. 
289. A narrow matted row of strawberries. 
For most purposes, strawberries should be set as early in the spring 
as the ground can be worked. The planting can be done with a trowel, 
spade, or dibble, taking care to spread the roots out as much as possible 
and to press the soil firmly about them, holding the plant so that the 
bud will be just above the surface. If the season is late and the weather 
is hot and dry, some or all of the older leaves should be removed. If 
water is used, it should be poured about the roots before the hole is 
filled and as soon as it has soaked away the remaining soil should be 
packed about the plants. During the first season the blossom stalks 
should be removed as soon as they appear, and the runners should be 
restricted to a space about 1 foot wide. Some persons prefer still 
