STRAWBERRY. 



65 



Qot be expected from a bed where the plants have be- 

 some old and crowded. 



A few Strawberry growers renev/ tlieir beds by plowing 

 up all but a small strip of about a foot vride, leaving one 

 of these every four feet. Then, by passing a cultivator or 

 harrow between these rows, the ground is leveled so that 

 the new runners can readily take root. 



ANNUAL SYSTEM. 



This is one of the neatest systems in use, as weeds have 

 no chance for getting a foothold, unless the cultivator is 

 very negligent. The plants are put out in rows two to 

 three feet apai-t, and about a foot apart in the row. They 

 are carefully cultivated the first season, a croj) taken the 

 second, and then plowed under. To insure a full crop the 

 soil must be made very rich, and the planting done in the 

 fall or early spring, and in the most careful manner. 



PLANTING IN ROWS OR HILLS. 



There are but few varieties that succeed so well when 

 restricted to hills for a number of years as w^hen allowed 

 to produce runners. The varieties of F. grandiflora arc 

 better adapted to this system than others, because they 

 naturally produce large, compact plants. 



The usual method is to plant in rows three feet apart, 

 with plants a foot apart in the row. All runners are cut 

 t)if as soon as they appear, and the beds frequently hoed, 

 or kept clean with a cultivator. In the fall the entire sur- 

 face is covered with a mulching of leaves, straw or coarse 

 bog grass. The plants are covered as well as the ground 

 between them. In spring the covering should be removed 

 from the crowns of the plants, but left on between thera, 

 for the purpose of keeping the fruit clean and the ground 

 moist. After the fruit hns been gathered, sufficient mulcli* 

 mg may be applied to keep down all weeds, or all of it 



