On the Cultivation of Strawberries. 391 



placing the dung between the two spits. The best way to 

 obtain new plants is, by planting out runners in a nursery, 

 for the express purpose, in the previous season : for it is a 

 very bad plan to supply a new plantation from old plants. 

 With respect to the time of planting, I have always found the 

 month of March better than any other. Sometimes, when my 

 crops have failed, I have had runners planted in the autumn, 

 for the following year, but these have always disappointed 

 my expectations. I plant them in beds, containing three or 

 four rows, and the plants, in each row, at a certain distance 

 from each other, leaving an alley between each bed, the dis- 

 tance of the rows and of the plants in the rows, as well as the 

 width of the alleys, depending on the kind of Strawberry 

 planted. The width of the alleys, as it will afterwards be 

 stated, may appear considerable; but T am satisfied that 

 allowing this space for the workmen to stand on, when they 

 water the plants, or gather the fruit, is beneficial, because I 

 have observed, in other persons' grounds, where less space 

 is allotted for this purpose, that great damage is done to 

 the plants and fruit, by the trampling of the people. 



After the beds are planted, I always keep them as clear 

 of weeds as possible, and on no account allow any crop to 

 be planted between the rows. Upon the growing of the 

 runners, I have them cut when necessary : this is usually three 

 times in each season. In the autumn, I always have the rows 

 dug between ; for I find, it refreshes the plants materially ; 

 and I recommend to those persons to whom it may be con- 

 venient, to scatter in the spring, very lightly, some loose straw 

 or long dung, between the rows. It serves to keep the ground 

 moist, enriches the Strawberry, and forms a clean bed for the 



