STRAWBERRIES 35 
STRAWBERRIES AS ANNUALS 
Where, for garden-parties and other large social 
functions, considerable quantities of fine fruits are re- 
quired at the beginning of the strawberry season, it 
pays, especially on light and hungry soils, to treat a 
portion of the crop as annuals. This method has long 
been practised, but only of late has it been extensively 
carried out. The system is extremely simple. The 
earliest runners from uncropped stock, as used for 
forcing, are planted in July on a warm border from 
whence early potatoes, early peas, or other crops have 
been secured.. Given reasonable attention, the plants 
give a good crop early the following summer, and 
almost every fruit is of large dessert size. Immediately 
after the fruit has been gathered, the plants are cleared, 
and the land at once planted with some winter crop. 
Royal Sovereign is a suitable variety for this method. 
STRAWBERRIES IN BARRELS 
The method of cultivating strawberries in barrels 
seems to have been first adopted in the United States, 
and certainly it has the merit of novelty. It consists in 
using barrels about the size of sugar or paraffin barrels, 
making drainage holes in the bottom, and boring small 
circular holes in tiers from near the top to within a foot 
of the base. The holes should be made so that only 
those in alternate rows come into the same perpen- 
dicular line, thus allowing each plant the utmost room 
for development. 
A zinc, iron, or earthenware pipe is placed upright 
in the centre ae the barrel, and in its sides a few holes 
are made, so that water poured in will moisten the 
roots of the lowest plants after the barrels are filled. 
