380 
The Garden Magazine, August, 1920 
indifferent results in the matted-row system. I determined that 
I would grow the berries in my home garden as individuals under 
intensive cultivation, in an effort to get the best possible returns 
from a few plants. 
One hundred and twenty five plants, potted ones, procured 
from a first-class plantsman, reached me on the twelfth of 
August. I heeled them in and went to work to. get the plot 
ready. Of course 50 more plants could have been accommo- 
dated in the “matted-row" system, but “intensive” culture was 
the order of the day. 
The ground was gone over with a mattock. This brought up 
another cart-load of rubbish to be hauled away, and put the soil 
in excellent mechanical condition. Just here the first mistake 
was made in forming ridges with the hoe on which to set the 
plants, and 1 made them too high! On these ridges the plants 
were set a foot apart, and as they were pot-grown they never 
showed that they had been disturbed, but soon established them- 
selves and by freezing weather 1 had a nice looking bed of 
plants. - 
And now another mistake. 1 mulched heavily between the 
rows, or rather around the plants, as they had been set “check- 
A RARE LUXURY IN WINTER 
In this greenhouse along with Carnations for cut flowers and 
Parsley as an edging Strawberries are grown on a hanging shelf 
ered." 1 paid little attention to the plants until the snow disap- 
peared in the spring, and the first warm day reminded me of 
them ; when I found most of them hanging in the air on the tips 
of their roots. Owing to the high ridges, and no mulching 
over the plants, they had frozen out, and were practically 
worthless. 
On the advice of a friend, I pulled them out and started again, 
setting young plants out in the same manner as before; but, 1 
again grubbed over the plot, removed some more roots and 
stones, and set them level instead of on a ridge. They were 
kept cultivated and weeded like any other garden crop during 
the first season, and all runners and blossoms pinched off, to 
increase the size of the crowns. 
The next winter the whole bed was mulched with manure be- 
tween the rows and straw over the plants, to a depth of six inches. 
When the snow began to melt in the spring 1 watched them 
carefully to see that none of the straw blew off the plants, and 
did not lose one. After removing the straw the manure was 
worked in between the plants with a shovel and the large out- 
side leaves, most of which were brown or rusted, were pulled off. 
When the buds came each plant was carefully gone over, 
allowing not more than six blossoms to remain to a plant the 
first season of bearing to conserve enough for plant building 
because 1 desired extra fine large berries later on for my own 
table. At this time 1 put a handful of chaff around each plant 
to keep the berries out of the soil. 
The size and quality of the resultant berries was a revelation! 
I,. picked in one day thirty-six berries which filled four chip bas- 
kets, quart size, even full, and others as large at other times. 
These extra large ones were from the seventy five Bubach No. 5 
plants. The other plants were Marshall, and were as fine in 
every way as the Bubach, but were more round and deeper, and 
not quite so broad. Sliced strawberries for breakfast were com- 
mon with us that season. 
When the bearing season was over the plants were cleared 
of the chaff, and worked after every rain and kept free from 
weeds during the season. The winter treatment was the same 
as the previous winter, and on up to the time of blooming. 
That season 1 removed as nearly as 1 could one third of the 
flowers from each plant, leaving the largest ones on the stems. 
1 had as many as three flowering stems from one plant, with 
an average of more than two, and when the crop was gathered 
there were forty-one quarts to the credit of the plot and the 
crop was more uniform in size as to the two varieties. 
The patch got the same treatment for one year more, when, 
after bearing, 1 set two-inch pots beside each plant between 
the rows, sunk to the brim. In these I rooted but one runner 
from each plant, and when they were well-rooted, cut them 
loose, and, late in the fall, removed the pot, depotted the plant, 
and set it back in the hole left by the pot, and I had another plot 
started, which gave me similar results until 1 moved from the 
place, each setting of plants being allowed to stand three 
years. 
This method of growing Strawberries would not do for the 
commercial grower, but it makes possible choice berries for the 
home table, where there is room for setting out one hundred and 
twenty five plants, checkered, on eighteen inch centres. 
AND IF YOU HAVE A GREENHOUSE 
Ripe Strawberries in February or even earlier can be had 
with the aid of a greenhouse or some other glass structure 
where the plants may be forced. The potted plant is lifted 
from the open bed and repotted into a large size (6 inch) pot 
using the regular strawberry-bed soil, with drainage provided, 
of course, to accommodate the frequent waterings. Placed in 
house or frame they are kept growing till fall, and then “ripened 
off” by drying. Allow to freeze and then begin forcing, allow- 
ing 8 to 10 weeks to fruiting time. Begin at 35 degrees day 
and night, increasing to 50 degrees and finishing at 80 degrees 
day with, 60 degrees night. 
