248 



CASSELL'S POPULAR GARDENING. 



best-paying of all the branches of Strawberry cul- 

 ture — that of forcing. By subjecting Strawberries 

 to heat in November, ripe fruit may be gathered in 

 February, and thus by the combined agencies of 

 special culture and forcing the plants, their delicious 

 fruit may be enjoyed for eight months out of 

 the twelve. Special culture and suggestions for 

 retarding and prolonging the fruiting season have 

 been placed first in this article, inasmuch as they are 

 generally neglected or unknown, whereas most 

 amateurs dabble more or less deeply in Straw- 

 berry forcing. To these, the caution may be added 

 here, not to attempt it too early in the season. 

 Starting with the new year they may succeed, with 

 little loss of plants, in having a fair crop ripe in 

 March. Earlier, the loss of plants through imperfect 

 setting may reach cent, per cent. Success is possible 

 but difficult in February, easier in March, child's 

 play in April, achieved with little effort in May. 

 The other conditions of success may be summarised 

 thus : good plants, slow progress at first, careful 

 setting, liberal feeding, abundant supplies of water, 

 light, and air. 



Strength and maturity of crown, and a prodigal 

 profusion of roots, are the chief factors in the making 

 of what are called good plants. Early runners 

 layered as soon as possible in pots filled with rich 

 soil, and then immediately shifted as soon as rooted 

 into six-inch pots, grown on in the full light of 

 the sun, and never once allowed to flag until their 

 growth is completed, are sure to result in good 

 plants. One plant in the centre of a six-inch pot 

 produces the best results. Part of an oyster- 

 shell over the pot, with an inch of smashed bones 

 over this, and a dash of soot over all, completes 

 a feeding and anti-worm drainage. Almost any 

 good garden soil will grow Strawberries in pots ; the 

 best of all being a rich calcareous loam, enricbed with 

 about one part to six of rich well-rotted manure. A 

 little old lime rubbish added to ordinary loams 

 proves most useful. A few lumps of the roughest 

 portions of the soil should be placed over the drain- 

 age. The soil can hardly be made too firm in the 

 pots and around the plants. The plants should be 

 placed on a hard base, and be moved frequently to 

 prevent their rooting through, as such roots must 

 needs perish afterwards. 



As the end of the growing season advances water 

 must be partially withdrawn, the pots being turned 

 on their sides during heavy rains ; the great object 

 being to mature the crowns, and have the soil in 

 the pots tolerably dry before winter. If properly 

 managed the roots should be so numerous and 

 strong as to fill the pots almost to bursting. 

 Finally, the plants should be protected from frost, 

 either by storing in cool houses, pits or frames, or by 



being mulched over, or built up on their sides, 

 packed firmly and protected with litter. From such 

 frost -proof and tolerably dry storing quarters the 

 plants may be taken in batches of fifty, a hundred, 

 or five hundred into the forcing-houses or pits, as 

 required. 



A Slow Start.— The Strawberry being a hardy 

 plant, if taken from the open air into a hot-house, 

 leaves and flowers will be pushed forth with a rush, 

 and hardly any fruit will set or swell. The best 

 mode of starting Strawberries is in a pit with a 

 mild bottom heat derived from fermenting leaves. 

 Plunge the pots to the brim in these and give 

 abundance of air, or even draw the lights off should 

 the weather be mild. By thus keeping the heads of 

 the plants cool and the roots warm, the latter will 

 get a good start of the former. So soon as the 

 plants show bloom, or even before, remove them to a 

 shelf or stage in a light house, with a temperature of 

 50° to 55°, which should not be exceeded with artifi- 

 cial heat until the bloom is set. If grown on in the 

 pit they should be raised close to the glass, though 

 the vapour from fermenting materials is rather a 

 hindrance than a help to the setting of Strawberry 

 blooms. A slow start is of equal, or more, impor- 

 tance if the bottom heat is not applied, and the 

 plants are placed on shelves or stages at once. 



Careful Setting.— All the earlier crops should 

 be artificially impregnated by the use of the camel' s- 

 hair pencil on the blooms every dav the blossoms 

 continue open. Full exposure to light, and as 

 much air as can be given with safety, also impart 

 buoyancy to the pollen, and assure the safe setting 

 of the fruit. Should sunny weather prevail a good 

 set is tolerably certain, but in dull weather extra 

 heat may be used to dry the atmosphere, and much 

 more air be given. 



Liberal Feeding. — The area of pots being very 

 limited, it is important that the roots be well supplied 

 with food. The simplest means of , doing this is by 

 top-dressings of solid and plentiful applications of 

 liquid manure. Soot and guano-water, an ounce 

 or so to a gallon, and house drainage, are among the 

 best foods for Strawberries in pots. Some place the 

 pots in a second one half filled with rotten dung, or 

 in boxes, or on shelves, partly furnished or covered 

 with turves of rich soil, inverted on layers of dung. 

 These often prove useful, and produce fruit of 

 enormous size and the highest quality. From the 

 start to the finish forced Strawberries must never 

 once flag for lack of water. During hot dry weather, 

 with the plants placed near to the roof, and the tem- 

 perature ranging from 65° to 70°, during the ripening 



