28 STRAWBERRIES 
and damaged pistils, in other words they kill or damage 
the organs of fructification so that fruit either does not 
set at all or is small and badly shaped. Everyone will 
understand what a buoyant atmosphere is like, and it is 
the kind to be secured by careful ventilation and heating 
during the time strawberries are in flower. Distribute 
the pollen about mid-day by gently brushing the flowers 
with a rabbit’s or hare’s tail, continuing the work daily 
until a good set has been secured. Advantage may be 
taken of sun-heat to- close the house early in the after- 
noon, but before dark a little ventilation must again be 
given. | 
When the fruits have set it is time to raise the tem- 
perature again, gradually increasing the warmth until at 
the end of a fortnight the thermometer registers 60° at 
night and 65° by day; increase also the atmospheric 
moisture and continue to raise the temperature steadily 
to 65° by night and 75° by day, or even a few degrees 
more during warm or bright weather. As the season 
advances, 85° or 90° by day will often be reached, but 
the higher temperatures obtained by sun-heat may be 
taken advantage of to give a little extra ventilation, 
remembering also that early closing on all such occasions 
is of the greatest importance. To further assist the swell- 
ing of the fruit, careful liquid feeding is necessary, using 
liquid cow manure or guano water at moderate strength, 
giving one or the other every alternate day when water- 
ing is necessary. Never allow the plants to want for 
moisture, and as the season advances water will be 
needed by them twice or thrice a day. Only in very 
bright weather should the later batches be stood in 
saucers of water. 
From the commencement of forcing up to the time the 
flowers expand, strawberries will benefit by being lightly 
syringed twice a day, except in very dull weather, the 
latest syringing being given sufficiently early to allow 
