August 17, 1912. 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



633 



STRAWBERRY CULTURE. 



The abnormally dry summer of 1911 was 

 most disastrous to many strawberry plan- 

 tations, as the foliage in some districts was 

 so affected with red spider that the plants 

 failed to make runners, while in others, 

 owing to a lack of moisture in the ground, 

 many of the roots were killed. All this 

 has accounted, in a measure, for the short 

 crop of 1912, as many growers were unable 

 to renew their plantations. On some soils 

 the strawberry is not a profitable crop if 

 allowed to remain on the same site more 

 than two years in succession, for after the 

 second year the plants make too much 

 foliage. Where this is the case it is well 

 to make a fresh plantation each season, 

 doing away with a portion of the old one. 



Where strong runners can be procured in 

 July there should be no difficulty in ob- 



convenient to provide a plot just at the 

 right time, and when this is the case one 

 cannot obtain a full crop the fii-st season 

 after planting. Strawberries, if liberally 

 treated, make good progress between the 

 end of July and October, therefore if 

 strong plants are put out at the end of 

 the first-named month, or early in August, 

 they will make strong crowns by the end 

 of the season, before growth is checked 

 by the cold weather. Some growers place 

 three plants together to form a clump, and 

 where they are intended to stand only two 

 seasons this is good practice, as by so doing 

 a full crop may be obtained the first season 

 after planting. Others prefer to place 

 the plants a foot apart in the rows, taking 

 away alternate plants after the first season. 



Varieties of strawberries, like other 

 fruits, vary very much, some being of robust 

 habit, and making ample foliage, while 



itature it is well to make it as firm as pos- 

 sible previous to planting in order that the 

 roots may the more readily take hold of 

 it. After planting, should the weather be 

 hot and dry, give the plantation one or 

 two good soakings, after which they will 

 be able to take care of themselves. All 

 runners should be removed as they appear. 



Where it is not possible to layer straw- 

 berries into pots the runners should be 

 pricked out into nursery beds, and while 

 here they should receive every attention 

 until established. In some instances, 

 owing to circumstances over which the cul- 

 tivator has no control, planting has to be 

 deferred until spring, but I do not recom- 

 mend planting at that time of the year as 

 a season is lost, the plants not being able 

 to carry a full crop of fruit until the sum- 

 mer of the following year, but in such cases 



it is well to take a catch crop of some kind 



THE CENTRAL BED IN ME. J. STRINGER'S GARDEN AT HOPE COTTAGE, CROYDON. 



taining a full crop the first season after 

 planting, but where this is not practicable 

 it is well to take a catch crop from the 

 same ground, which can be done by plant- 

 ing lettuces or the like between the rows. 

 If, however, runners can be procured early 

 there will be no necessity to do this. It 

 IS a good practice to plant a row or two in 

 a convenient place, where the runnere can 

 be layered into small pots, and a seasrn 

 is saved. Young plants usually make 

 runners earlier in the season than old ones, 

 and these, if layered in 4in. pots, would 

 make strong plants ready for putting 

 out in the open ground by tlie beginning 

 of August, Choose a plot on which straw- 

 berries have not been grown for several 

 years. The ground ought to be liberally 

 nianured and deeply trenched in readiness 

 for the runners, so that they may be plante<l 

 as soon as rooted, for they will grow more 

 rapidly when planted out than if kept in 

 the pots. In many gardens it is not always 



others are of compact growth. Soil and 

 situation, too, have much to do with the 



growth of these plants. Where the 

 ground is of a dry, gravelly character the 

 plants do not increase so rapidly as they 

 do on that of a more retentive nature, and 

 this being so more room should be allowed 

 for development when the soil is of the 

 latter kind. Before planting is commence<l 

 the grower should determine the distance 

 he intends the plants to be apart. For 

 general use two feet six inches between the 

 rows and two feet between the plants will 

 be found ample, though where the crop is 

 to remain on the same ground for three or 

 four seasons it may be well to plant such 

 strong-growing kinds as Royal Sovereign 

 and others of that class three feet by two 

 feet six apart, for more fruit is spoiled dur- 

 ing a wet season by having the plants too 

 close together than there would be were 

 a greater distance allowed between the 

 rows. Where the soil is of a light sandy 



from the ground between the rows, which 

 will, in a measure, compensate for the loss 

 of fruit. 



Varieties of strawberries are so nume- 

 rous that there should be no difficulty in 

 making a selection to suit any particular 

 soil, though for general use not more than 

 half a dozen need be grown. Of these 

 .s(Hiie should be early, others mid-season and 

 late, so as to extend the season of their 

 usefulness as long as possible, and where 

 the situation will allow it some of the latter 

 kinds should be planted on a north border 

 or like place. P. 



Sedum spectabile atropur- 



pureuin. — This sedum not as well 

 known as its merits deserve, for it must be 

 given a place among the best of the late 

 autumn perennials. It is a counterpart of 

 Sedum spectabile itself, except that the 

 flowers are of a deep red colour. — ^T, 



