436 



THK PRACTICAL GARDENER. 



a grevit depth, the ground cannot well be made too rich for 

 them. Such strawberries as are planted in lines in the fruit- 

 garden should have their runners cut. off, and a good quantity 

 of rich manure dug in between the rows, and the ground left 

 as rough as possible. Do not, however, cut off all their leaves, 

 as has been long the practice, as it evidently injures the plants, 

 and leaves the tender buds without any protection during the 

 winter. 



CLEARING THE JORDERS ABOUT W^ALL-TREES. 



The fruit-tree borders should be kept neat and clean by 

 repeated hoeing and raking. They should be cropped at this 

 season, chiefly with light crops, such as lettuce, endive, and 

 other salads, which will neither shade the trees, nor exhaust 

 the borders. It is, however, often necessary to have crops of 

 early cabbage, cauliflowers, &c. upon them for protection during 

 winter, and for accelerating their growth in spring. These 

 cannot do any possible injury to the trees, provided that a due 

 proportion of well made compost be added previously to each 

 crop that is calculated to exhaust the ground. Salads will do 

 little injury to these borders, and none at all, if they be pre- 

 viously assisted with a slight compost manure. 



DIGGING THE GROUND BETWEEN THE ROWS OF GOOSEBERRIES 

 AND CURRANTS. 



The borders and quarters amongst these plants may be dug 

 as soon as convenient, after the crops are gathered ; and, if 

 ground be scarce, the intervals between the rows may be 

 cropped with winter spinach, late turnips, or any of the bras- 

 sica tribe ; if cropped with any of these, unless the ground be 

 very rich, give a moderate dunging. If there be no intention 

 to crop this ground, then let the whole be dug, leaving the 

 surface as rough as possible, so that it may be the more fully 

 exposed to the action of the frosts and air. 



