STKAWBERKIES. 



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When well -rooted, the plants should be 

 shifted into 5- or 6-inch pots, properly drained, 

 using a good turfy loam, mixed with leaf-mould 

 or well-rotted cow-dung. If the compost is 

 prepared six or twelve months previous to its 

 being required for the purpose, so much the 

 better. One plant in each pot will be sufficient. 

 The plants when potted may be shaded till 

 they recover, and then be placed in an open 

 space with a hard surface — either paved or 

 covered with coal ashes, to prevent the worms 

 from working up into the pots; quicklime may 

 also be sprinkled over the surface with the same 

 object. The plants may be placed tolerably 

 close at first, but as they grow larger they 

 should have more space allowed, so that the 

 foliage may have plenty of light and air. To 

 prevent the roots from growing through the 

 bottom of the pots, which they will be apt to 

 do in wet weather, it is a good plan to lay the 

 pots on their sides, or to stand each pot on an 

 ordinary brick. The latter method also serves 

 to keep out worms. 



On the approach of winter, when the leaves 

 mostly decay and the season of growth is over, 

 the pots should be placed in a pit, where they 

 can be protected from frost. Or they may be 

 put into a heated pit close to each other, on 

 shelves near the glass; abundance of air must 

 here be admitted to them; and the heating 

 apparatus only used to prevent frosts from 

 injuring the roots. Where there is not the 

 convenience of pits, ordinary garden frames 

 will serve, but in this case the roots must be 

 protected by plunging the pots in some light 

 material, such as cocoa-nut fibre refuse. Or the 

 pots may be placed on their sides in layers, 

 one above the other, with their bottoms against 

 a wall, coal ashes, old tan, or leaves being inter- 

 posed between the layers. Some stack them in 

 double rows by placing a row of pots on their 

 sides, then another row with their bottoms 

 against those of the first, any substance that 

 will not readily freeze being laid upon and 

 stuffed among the pots. Before the plants are 

 taken in to force the pots should be cleaned, 

 -and a little of the surface mould taken off and 

 replaced with rich soil. The crown of the 

 plants, before they start into growth, may be 

 covered with half-decayed leaf-mould. The 

 plants should, wherever it be possible, be dipped 

 in a pailful of sulphur and water — a handful of 

 sulphur being ample. This is about the best 

 possible preventive of mildew. 



When the plants are started, the temperature 

 should not exceed 45° or 50° by fire-heat. Air 



must at all times be freely admitted, but of 

 course much less will suffice when the weather 

 is cold than when it is warm. The temperature 

 and air should be regulated by the appearance 

 of the foliage. If the leaflets are observed to 

 be broad, yet of thin substance, and if the leaf- 

 stalks are drawing up, as if likely to be taller 

 and more slender than those in the open 

 ground, less fire-heat and more air must be 

 given, but an average temperature of 55° by 

 day may be allowed, and continued when the 

 j flower-buds begin to open, at which period 

 forcing must be conducted very slowly, for the 

 reasons already stated, and if this is done every 

 flower will set, or at least as many as the 

 plants ought to bear. The upper portions of the 

 flower-stalks are inclined to continue flowering 

 in succession; but these should be cut off, for 

 they only rob the fruit already formed, while 

 they themselves are worthless. 



After the fruit is set the temperature should 

 be gradually increased, and towards the ripen- 

 ing period it may be raised to 65°, and occa- 

 sionally as high as 75° by sun-heat. An occa- 

 sional watering with weak liquid manure is a 

 great assistance. Do not, however, be led away 

 with the too popular notion that manure water 

 is so essential as some think it to be. Three, or 

 at the most four, such applications are ample. 

 The plants should never be allowed to get dry, 

 or the growth of the fruit will not afterwards 

 progress so favourably, neither will the flavour 

 be good. 



When the fruit begins to colour no more 

 water should be given than is requisite to keep 

 the leaves from flagging, the quantity depend- 

 ing upon the temperature and dryness of the 

 air, or, in other words, upon the amount of 

 evaporation. This must be supplied, especially 

 during hot sun, even during the period of 

 ripening, otherwise the fruit would get heated, 

 and the flavour be spoilt. The fruit ought to 

 be gathered in the morning. The plants should 

 be removed from the house as they are stripped 

 of fruits. 



Instead of layering the runners for plants t<> 

 be forced in the ensuing winter and spring, 

 runners may be planted out in August, the 

 plants taken up just before they begin to grow 

 in spring, potted in 5-inch pots, and shifted into 

 6-inch pots towards the end of July. In this 

 month the spring foliage begins to get too old, 

 and the plants are disposed to start a second 

 growth of young foliage. This is favoured by 

 the shift into fresh soil and larger pots. Along 

 with new foliage fresh roots are produced, and 



