18 The Strawberry Book. i 
the roots equal distribution, while the right is strowing the 
earth around them. The finish is given by pressing the 
soil firmly round the young plant, the thumbs and fore- 
fingers of both hands steadying it at the same time. A 
vast number of plants perish every year because, in setting, 
the earth is not drawn up around them and" then forcibly 
pressed down around the crown of the vine. A certain 
knack — gained only by practice — is required to do this 
work well; but an experienced planter will set vines in 
favorable gail at a marvellous rate, and yet make them all 
live. If it be necessary to use a trowel, the progress is of 
course slower. 
When the planting is done very late, say during the first 
week in June, and the weather is hot, certain precautions 
must be used to insure success. The planting should be post- 
poned till about four P. M., and then every minute of the 
time improved until dark. The plants should be brought 
to the field in a bucket of water, and not exposed to the 
sun and wind a moment more than is necessary. The 
holes should be made beforehand along the line, and a 
man should go ahead of the planters with a water-pot and 
fill each hole with water. Plants set thus have all night 
to recover in, an abundant supply of moisture about their 
roots, and will live and do well, when without these pre- 
cautions they would certainly perish. 
The strawberry grower will of course select a cloudy or 
rainy day for planting when he can. The vines once set, 
a day or two settles the question of their living or dying. 
