strawberries — their Cultivation, Sfc. 245 
ground to supply a family plentifully, say eighty or ninety square 
feet of good ground, well prepared, regularly and properly culti- 
vated, would be sufficient in most cases, for this fruit. 
Our market is but poorly supplied; we have no regular market- 
gardeners, as there should be, but are dependent, in a measure, 
on the south for a supply. This should not be. Our soil and 
climate is suitable and we can see no reason why they cannot be 
grown here in abundance. We think there is a good chance for 
a profitable business in cultivating them for market, in the 
vicinity of this city. The greatest difficulty attending the culture 
of this fruit, is to keep the plants bare of weeds and grass that 
spring up among them. 
The best time to make strawberry plantations is in August, 
after the vines have done bearing. We have, however, succeeded 
very well by planting them out early in May, and have taken a 
fair crop the same season. The soil should be deep, rich and 
well prepared. A loamy or gravelly soil, with a full exposure 
to the sun seems most congenial to their growth. The ground 
for the reception of the plants, should be spaded to the depth of 
16 to 18 inches, and the surface should be well and thoroughly 
pulverised with the rake, when it should be marked off with a 
line in rows from one to two and a half feet apart. This will 
admit air and light around the plants and give room for after 
culture. Then select the strongest plants, and set them 12 inches 
from plant to plant in the rows. Strong, well-rooted young 
plants, of the best varieties should be selected. In Hovey's 
Magazine of Horticulture, the following are recommended as 
being the finest and most productive varieties: 
" Hovey's seedling, Female Hudson's Bay, Large Lima, Bishop's 
Orange, Bayne's Prolific, as being splendid varieties, and abun- 
dantly prolific. I believe every flower on the above varieties 
are female, and if planted separately, will fail to yield abun- 
dantly; but if planted in proximity with the Melon, or South- 
borough Seedling, every flower will be impregnated, and will 
produce enormous crops." 
The after culture consists in keeping them free from weeds, 
cutting off the runners, and spading in a dressing of well rotted 
manure, or what is still better, decayed leaves from the woods, in 
the fall after they have done bearing. 
