THE CULTIVATION OF THE STRAWBERRY. 



129 



ber (4,000) of pots. I prepare them as above, and plunge them 

 all to the brim in a piece of vacant ground ; then, on the first 

 dull day, I cut off the runners, merely removing the strings, and 

 by no means cutting the roots or the tops, for both these opera- 

 tions are injurious to the young plants. 



I have found the following the best method of cultivation for 

 the British Queen. Plant the runners out in beds, four inches 

 apart each way, and in the spring cut off all the blossoms. Take 

 them up in August, and remove a few of the upper leaves in 

 order to induce the plants to form top roots. The winter treat- 

 ment is of great consequence. I never give a drop of water from 

 November, and from being kept quite dry, nearly all the large 

 leaves die off. During this time the plants may be kept under 

 glass in pits, or stacked up on their sides against a wall out of 

 doors. I always plunge the pots to the brim in the pits, for the 

 plants do much better there than standing on the surface of the 

 mould, and the pots ought never to be less than a foot from the 

 glass. 



When brought in to be forced a very low heat must be applied, 

 and only increased at the rate of about three degrees weekly. 

 In confirmation of my views on this point, I take the liberty of 

 quoting from an article by Dr. Lindley in the Gardeners 

 Chronicle of April 10th, 1847, which every strawberry grower 

 ought to get by heart. 



" Those who would understand the philosophy of strawberry- 

 forcing should begin at the beginning, and first determine what 

 it is they have to deal with. This can only be ascertained by 

 examining the young flower-buds as they exist in the plant when 

 it makes its first move towards growth. At that time they are 

 collections of tiny scales, placed over a small spongy centre. 

 By degrees they take on the forms of calyx, corolla, stamens, 

 and pistil. They form successively, in the order in which they 

 are named, the calyx first, the pistil last. The calyx and corolla 

 are the most simple, grow the quickest, and most easily bear to 

 be hastened ; stamens require more time for growth ; the pistil 

 most of all. When high temperature, night and day, with 

 abundance of moisture, and as much light as February yields, 

 are suddenly applied to the strawberry, it is compelled to grow ; 

 the predetermined parts advance, and, obedient to the influences 

 which their nature cannot disregard, they by degrees unfold ; 

 but how ? The oldest parts, namely, the calyx and corolla, sim- 

 ple in structure, and already advanced in their formation, suffer 

 no injury, but appear in their usual state, arraying the blossom 

 in gay apparel of white and green. The next, however, the 

 stamens, having less time to form, acquire perhaps their yellow 

 colour, but are powerless for their allotted office ; while the 



