STRAWBERRIES. 



241 



and when they are most in need of it, leaving 

 the straw clean. 



Various other materials are recommended as 

 a mulch, but, on the whole, nothing serves the 

 purpose better than stable litter. Tiles have 

 been employed in order to hasten the ripening 

 process of the earliest kinds, but they are apt 

 to get heated by the sun and spoil the flavour 

 of the fruit which rests upon them; they also 

 afford shelter to insects injurious to the crop. 



From the time the blossoms appear until 

 the fruit is ripe, the ground should never be 

 allowed to become dry. Plants in full foliage 

 and active growth evaporate a large amount of 

 moisture in dry weather. Watering over the 

 tops is not sufficient. In some soils it is neces- 

 sary to flood the whole surface of the ground 

 repeatedly, so that the water may reach the 

 lowest roots. The leaves should never be 

 allowed to flag, or they will never perfectly 

 recover, even if afterwards supplied with abun- 

 dance of moisture, and the fruit will consequently 

 be poor in flavour. 



Renewing the Plantations. — Whilst some 

 growers recommend the plantations to be re- 

 newed every year, others prefer every second 

 or third year. Some of the celebrated growers 

 near Bath allow a plantation to run for six or 

 ten years without renewal. Much depends on 

 the way the plants are managed, and equally 

 as much upon the soil itself; if kept free of 

 runners and divested of the old leaves after 

 fruiting, the plantation may be allowed to re- 

 main longer than when these matters are ne- 

 glected. 



The system of planting annually, i.e. destroy- 

 ing the plants after the first crop and thus 

 treating them as annuals, is only to be recom- 

 mended for early kinds, such as Royal Sovereign, 

 and then only upon warm, sheltered borders 

 and the most favourable open spots in the 

 garden. Such late kinds as Latest of All crop 

 better upon two-year-old plants. 



If the stem of any strong-growing sort be 

 taken and the lower leaves stripped off, it will 

 be seen that there are a number of white eyes 

 ready to push when circumstances are favour- 

 able. They do not push through the coatings 

 formed by the bases of the leaves above-ground ; 

 but if the stems are buried in soil, or in a good 

 top-dressing of rotten dung, leaf-mould, or even 

 leaves, they will strike root, in consequence of 

 which the plants will be greatly invigorated, 

 and will bear well for many years. The Old 

 Pine has been known to produce excellent crops 

 for twelve years when so treated. 

 vol. ii. 



A covering of leaves suits the Strawberry re- 

 markably well. Some have been known to bear 

 good crops under a large Bigarreau Cherry-tree, 

 the leaves of which were allowed to remain, as 

 they fell, upon the plants. The Strawberry will 

 push through a considerable thickness of leaves, 

 or any light substance. A top-dressing of loam 

 is beneficial, if applied before the plants begin 

 to grow in spring, after which they should not 

 be disturbed either at root or top. 



Digging between the rows with the spade is 

 often injurious. The object can only be to 

 loosen the soil, in order that fresh roots may 

 push freely; but many of those formed the 

 previous season will be cut off* in the operation, 

 and they are the roots which contribute most to 

 the support of the crop. If the soil is stirred 

 with a fork with care, the plants generally 

 derive benefit from the operation. 



Strawberry plants sometimes produce a great 

 number of leaves and flowers from the same 

 stock. When it is desired to have the fruit 

 large and fine, about four of the strongest 

 flower-scapes should be retained, and the others, 

 as well as all superfluous leaves, cut out. The 

 lowest blossoms on the scape produce the largest, 

 earliest, and best fruit, and these are ripe whilst 

 those higher up are still green or only bearing 

 flowers. The fruit from the latter never ac- 

 quires the perfection of that formed lower down. 

 In forcing, it is found advantageous to remove 

 all except a few of the young fruits which 

 attain a larger size than would otherwise be 

 the case. The same operation might be ad- 

 vantageously performed on plants in the open 

 ground. 



Strawberries are occasionally grown on banks, 

 ridges, and terraces; but it is unnecessary to 

 enter into details respecting these modes, for 

 the plant will grow in almost any situation 

 where it can be supplied with moisture and 

 sufficient nourishment, and where, at the same 

 time, the foliage is exposed to light. There 

 are, however, advantages in the terraced ridge 

 formed to run east and west, the plants on the 

 south side ripening fruit earlier than those on 

 the level ground, whilst those on the north side 

 afford a later supply. 



Gathering. — Strawberries should be gathered 

 when dry, but not when heated by the sun. 

 For dessert, they ought to be gathered with the 

 calyx and just as much of the stalk below it as 

 is sufficient to lay hold of. Those intended for 

 preserving are taken without the calyx. 



Much has been written respecting male, 

 female, and hermaphrodite plants, but we have 



57 



