ON FRUIT CULTURE. 



IO41 



year. The distance apart at which to plant varies a httle with the 

 nature of the soil : if light and hot the rows may be 2ft. 

 apart, and the plants i8in. from each other in the 

 rows ; on deep and rich soil the rows should be 2^ft. to 3ft. 

 apart, and there should be i8in. between the plants. Care must 

 be taken not to plant too deeply, simply inserting the runners up 

 to the lower leaves without burying the crown, and making 

 the soil thoroughly firm about the plant. If the weather or soil 

 is dry a good soaking of water should be given after planting, to 

 settle the soil about the roots and give the plants a start. All 

 runners that form should be promptly removed, and weeds should 

 be kept down with a Dutch hoe during the autumn months. 



In spring, when new growth is being made, a good mulch 01 

 strawy manure is advisable ; this will conserve moisture, feed 

 the roots, and also prove a very suitable material for the runners 

 to strike roots in — that is if required to increase the stock — 

 otherwise all runners should be cut off, as they rob the plant and 

 fruit. Immediately the fruit is set, diluted liquid manure or a 

 little nitrate of soda put between the rows will act beneficially 

 on the plants and swell the fruit considerably ; but all stimulants 

 should cease when the fruit commences to colour or the flavour 

 will be impaired. The above method should be carried out 

 annually until the beds exhibit signs of being worn out. A fresh 

 plantation should then be made on land that has not had the 

 same fruit on it for some years, as Strawberries should on no 

 account follow Strawberries on the same ground : it is only 

 courting failure through disease and insect foes. 



There are quite a host of varieties to select from. Many of 

 them are of no value, while others are excellent in every respect. 

 Amongst the latter. Royal Sovereign is a magnificent and early 

 sort, bearing very heavy crops of large and delicious fruit. Countess 

 is a rare variety of the finest flavour on light soils, but not so 

 good on cold soils ; where it succeeds it is one of the best 

 Strawberries. President, though an old variety, is still first-rate, 

 and worthy of a position in every garden by reason of its heavy 

 crops of richly-flavoured fruit. Sir Joseph Paxton is a favourite 

 mid-season variety, and well maintains its good reputation. 

 British Queen is well known for its exquisite flavour, but it is 

 not always a success, as it requires a good warm soil to grow 

 it well. Veitch's Perfection is a new variety of the richest flavour 

 and will supersede Waterloo as a late variety, being more fruitful 

 and of better colour and flavour. 



Alpine Straivberries. — It is somewhat remarkable that the 

 sweet and extremely useful Alpine Strawberry is not more exten- 

 sively grown, more especially in the gardens of the wealthy, as 

 the fruit comes into use at a season when Strawberries are very 

 rare — viz., the late autumn — and thus provides a welcome change 

 in the dessert. Seed may be purchased from several of the 



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