14 



WM. K: PRINCE & CO.'s 



CULTURE. 



It is requisite that the ground for Strawberry beds be perfectly 

 free from all weeds and their seeds. The preferable soil is a rich firm loam 

 that retains moisture, but sufficiently friable for filtration, which shoxild be 

 highly manured, but without a possibility of nauseous weeds being intro- 

 duced therewith. 



The beds should be three feet wide, with four rows of plants length- 

 wise, and these a foot apart each way. This width will admit of all the 

 fruit being gathered from the sides without trampling on any plants. A 

 path, of about fifteen inches in width, should be left between the beds. 



The best periods for spring planting, are the month of April for this and 

 more northern latitudes, and the months of February and March for the 

 more southern States. And for the plantations after fruiting, we prefer 

 the months of August and September in this latitude and north of it, and 

 the months of September and October for the more southern localities. 

 The early autumnal planting has this superiority — such plants will produce 

 a fair crop the ensuing summer. 



The Pistillate varieties possess the great advantage that they may be 

 allowed to run together in a mass, and will in this mode bear profusely ; and 

 this is the most profitable course of culture ; whereas the larger Herma- 

 phrodite varieties (with only two or three peculiar exceptions) will not pro- 

 duce a fair crop unless they are cultivated as distinct plants, and kept clear 

 of runners. There can be no such result as a failure in the crops of Pistil- 

 late varieties (when accompanied by tStaminates or Hermaphrodites). Every 

 Pistillate variety is productive, varying only in abundance. The Herma- 

 phrodites may all be deemed moderate bearers, except where we have de- 

 noted otherwise ; and the few exceptions mostly produce fruit of but 

 medium or small size. The Primate, and two or three other Hermaphro- 

 dites, comprise the only varieties, with large fruit, that produce large crops. 

 In selecting an impregnator to plant among Pistiilates, it is the better course 

 to select a productive Hermaphrodite variety, as this will prevent any loss 

 of space. 



The Hermaphrodites or Staminates should be planted in distinct rows 

 or beds, and not among the Pistiilates, as the mor e rapid increase of the 

 former would soon cause the beds to be overrun with them. 



In regard to hardihood, all the varieties here enumerated will withstand 

 the winters of the most northern States, by simply covering the beds with 

 four inches of straw or leaves, or leaf-monld from the forest, by which the 

 danger of the plants freezing out is prevented. Spent tan may be used as 

 a winter covering to the depth of three or four inches ; but it should be re- 

 moved very early, or it will materially injure the crop. 



