STRAWBERRIES FOR THE HOME 159 
growing sorts. Potash heightens the colour 
of the fruit, and generally adds to its flavour. 
Wood ashes is the best means of supplying 
potash. A light dressing of Peruvian guano 
is a good general-purpose fertilizer. 
“For a complete fertilizer for strawberries, 
nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash in the 
ratio of 3, 7, and g per cent. is recommended, 
or nitrate of soda, 150 pounds, bone meal, 550 
pounds, wood ashes, 1,400 pounds to the acre. 
“The matted-row system involves less 
labour than hills, gives a great yield of ber- 
ries, without the fine development of the hill 
system. The plants are set two feet apart, 
with five feet between the rows. The run- 
ners are allowed to cover the ground, being 
assisted in proper distribution by being 
placed in the vacancies by hand. These 
plants cover one or two feet in width, the 
remaining space between the rows being well 
cultivated. Where plants are set too thickly 
they are removed with a pointed hoe. The 
next season before fruiting the ground be- 
tween the rows should be well mulched with 
litter. 
“With either system it is well to cover the 
plants lightly with stable litter early in 
