18 STRAW BERRIES 
directions as to the way to plant strawberries. But one 
cannot travel far in any part of the country without 
discovering that many failures with strawberries are due 
to the ignorance or carelessness of planters. Some 
simply dibble the rooted runners in, clamping the roots 
all together in a narrow hole, and not infrequently 
‘““hanging” the plants. And yet these good folk are 
surprised that the crop does not work out at something 
between two and three tons per acre; it would be a 
surprise if the crop did more than pay for gathering. 
Others deem it sufficient to scoop out a hole with a 
trowel and stuff the plant into it, no matter whether it 
be more than half deep enough, and the result is that 
the plant’s head is not much above the level of its toes, 
the roots being almost doubled up. 
Some do not sin so badly in the matter of planting, 
' but while they take care that the roots are given ample 
room, and even go to the trouble of spreading them out 
in the case of purchased rooted runners, they plant 
either too deep or too high. By ‘‘too deep” I mean 
that when planting is finished the crown or central bud 
of the strawberry plant is below the soil; and by ‘‘ too 
high” I mean that the crown is left well above the 
surface, and the neck or collar of the plant is exposed. 
The correct method is to make a hole sufficiently 
large, in well firmed soil, to accommodate the whole ball 
of soil and roots in the case of home layered plants, or 
large enough to admit of the regular distribution of the 
roots of imported runners. Press the soil firmly about 
the roots, and gauge the depth of the hole so that when 
the work is finished the crown of the plant seems to be 
resting on the surface. If the crown is buried the plant 
is stifled. If it is left right above the soil the neck or 
collar suffers from exposure, and the surface roots that 
would otherwise be produced therefrom have no chance 
whatever. 
