6 
NAT. ORDER. SENTICOSiE. 
rated by alleys, usually about two feet wide, to allow of weeding, 
watering the plants and gathering the fruit. 
The strongest plants are always chosen for transplanting, and 
in order to obtain them as strong as possible, a shallow trench is 
made between the rows of old plants, and filled with a^rich com- 
post ; on this the first runners are laid and fastened down by little 
hooks. The runners quickly take root in this compost, and grow 
strongly. To encourage them still more they should be watered 
with the mother plants especially in dry weather. When the sea- 
son arrives for transplanting, the young plants rise with fine roots, 
and generally strong enough to promise a good crop in the follow- 
ing year. 
The beds are never dug between the plants, but only kept 
clear of runners and weeds by the hoe. The alleys are dug every 
winter, and a small portion of the fresh soil from them are thrown 
over the beds as a top dressing. It is usual to lay straw, or some 
kind of clean loose litter round the plants before the fruit begins to 
ripen, to save them from being dashed with earth by rain or when 
watered. When young plants are not wanted, the bearing ones 
should be kept free from runners, otherwise they will rob the swell- 
ing fruit. 
This plan of keeping the mother plant distinct and separate is 
most suitable for the larger sorts ; the alpines, and sometimes the 
hauthois are planted individually at first, but afterwards allowed to 
run all over and occupy the whole surface, in which state these 
kinds will, in somewhat shady situations, do well, and continue pro- 
ductive for several years. Some cultivators, instead of beds, plant 
the large sorts in open order, say two feet apart every way on well 
prepared ground, knowing that the more space each plant is allow- 
ed the stronger it will grow and flower, and bear fruit in greater 
numbers, and of greater size. Besides this, the side branches of the 
mother plant (not the runners) have room to extend and yield fruit 
in as great quantities as the principal crown. To understand this 
