36 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ July 15, 1186. 
kind should be given, nothing answering better than stable litter 
with the smaller parts and droppings shaken out, the latter 
coming in capitally for Mushroom beds. The litter if put on 
when the plants come into flower or soon after will get well 
washed, and form a bed for the fruit to lie on quite equal to straw, 
and better, as it will have some manurial value. Water willneed 
to be given in dry weather; indeed, they must never become dry 
from the flowering time until the fruit has swelled. Runners, as 
they increase root-action, should not be removed before July. 
They do not take from the parent until the runner has formed a 
bud or joint, and is beginning to develope into a plant on its own 
account. If increase be wanted, the runners must not be 
removed, but it is not well to take them from spring plants. 
July and later plants should have all the runners cut off as 
they appear. A light mulching of short manure or partially 
decayed leaves will much invigorate the plants by securing a 
greater uniformity of moisture and nutrition. Keep them free 
from weeds if not mulched, but we strongly advise the mulching 
in preference to the heavy autumn or early winter mulching that 
finds so much favour with many. If no summer mulch is used 
a light autumn one may be given. Avoid mulchings that are 
likely to bring an abundant crop of weeds. 
THE SECOND SEASON. 
In the spring of the season after planting the soil may be 
lightly pointed over between the rows and plants, prior to which 
a dressing may be given of soot, bonemeal, and native guano 
pulverised in equal proportions at the rate of a half-peck per rod. 
The advertised manures may be applied at the rate of 4 cwt. per 
acre, or 3 lbs. per rod. They should be distributed evenly and 
vary lightly pointed in. Just before or about the time the flower 
scapes appear a mulching of stable litter may be given, the 
strawy portion separated from the fine, and the latter put on first 
evenly about the plants an inch thick, and then the strawy 
parts, so as to form a clean bed for the fruit to lie on fully an 
inch thick, so that it will require to be 2 inches thick, or 3 inches 
in the first instance altogether, to allow of its becoming closer by 
rains. This mulching should not be deferred longer than the 
plants are coming into flower. It is particularly valuable on 
light soils and good on all. If not washed clean by rains the 
waterings that will be necessary will render it clean by the time 
the fruit is ripening, and if not it is easy to add a little clean 
straw. 
Many other p'ansof keeping the fruit clean have been devised. 
Tiles and slates are good in their way, but they get hot with the 
sun, slates much more so than tiles, and the flavour of the fruit 
is not good. It does not want roa-ting, but a free circulation of 
air. Wires I have used extensively, and they answer well, espe 
cially if a slight mulch is given to prevent dirt being washed on 
the fruit by heavy rains. They are, however, somewhat costly, 
yet they will last (no one knows how long) certainly a lifetime 
with care. Clean straw chopped up rather coarsely or in about 
inch lengths is a capital mulch, and slugs do not like it. 
WATERING. 
From the time the flowers appear until the fruit is swelled 
water must be given abundantly if the weather be dry. It will 
be required once a week at least, and after the fruit is swelling 
twice a week, and on light soils every alternate day, depending 
upon the weather. Liquid manure will not be necessary if the 
mulching with short manure has been given, but if the long is 
used applications after the fruit is set and again when it is about 
half-swellcd are necessary. The mulching must be drawn on one 
side when the liquid is applied, or it will be spoiled as a bed for 
the fruit. Thorough soakings of water are the best, driblets are 
of very little use. If the soil gets baked, dam up the sides and 
ends of the plantation or beds, and flood the ground until the 
soil is thoroughly moistened. Strawberries are poor when small, 
hard, and dry. A rod of weli-swelled fruit is more satisfactory 
than a rood that cannot be attended to, and in a dry hot season 
have no value, which mulching and proper supplies of water 
would have made as satisfactory and profitable as the other. 
SECURING FINE FRUITS. 
When it is desired to have the fruit large, strong healthv 
plants of the previous July planting will give it as no others do. 
The plants are mulched and otherwise treated as above, only 
when the Cower scapes appear choice is made of three or four 
of the strongest, if more is shown, and the others cut away. 
If very large fruit is wanted all the scapes may be retained, and 
only the <! king ” fruit on each peduncle reserved, all the others 
on the peduncle being clipped off. Those are invariably the 
largest fruit, and Strawberries of eight or a dozen to the pound 
are always appreciated at table and by the salesmen. The lowest 
blossoms are always the strongest, and these give the largest, 
earliest, and best fruits. Three or four on a scape, or abouta 
dozen fruits on a plant, will give very fine fruit, but if the big 
fruit is wanted it must be sought from the “ king,” the lowest 
centre one of the peduncle, and then all others must go. This, 
of course, is an extravagant plan—all excellence is had at the 
expense of number—but reduction is not necessarily loss of 
value The salesman will any day give double the price for a 
pound of sixteen fruits than for a pound of thirty-two. 
The fruit is best supported with forked twigs of hazel, the 
fruit depending clear of anything and as high above ground as 
the peduncle will allow, it being placed in the fork of the twig 
stuck in the ground and inclining outward at top so that the 
fruit hang clear. In wet weather I have found it necessary to 
cover the rows with frames which admit of a thorough current of 
air, the lights beiug tilted on both sides. I have also used hand- 
lights set on bricks for a similar purpose. The finer the fruit is 
the greater the difficulty in keeping it fr in spotting. The 
quality of such fruit is all that can be desired in flavour. 
PROTECTING THE FRUIT. 
Nets are necessary to protect the fruit They should be 
placed over the plantation as soon as the fruit changes colour. 
Jt does not answer to delay this work until the thrushes and 
blackbirds have begun to peck at the fruit The earliest to 
colour are the finest, and if pecked they are no good whatever; 
therefore net in time. The nets should be supported clear of the 
plants. This is readily done by driving stakes at about 6 feet 
apart or up every second or third row, and putting tarred string 
from each and crosswise, as well as with the line of stakes. The 
stakes should be a foot clear of the fruit all around, and the 
stakes being 3 feet out of the ground the birds will be completely 
foiled, only there are no holes in the net, and it is kept down at 
the sides and light over the plants. Repaired herring nets can 
be had at a reasonable price, and if taken care of, will last many 
vears. 
GATHERING THE FRUITS. 
The fruit should be gathered when dry. though of course this 
cannot always be done for dessert, but they must be dry when 
for preserving, and for that purpose always without the calyx. 
Strawberries for dessert must be gathered with the calyx and as 
much of the footstalk as is sufficient to hold it by. Tbe morning 
is the best time to gather Strawberries when the dew is off, or 
before the fruit becomes heated by the sun. The fruit is in the 
best condition when ripe to the tip. It requires some little expe¬ 
rience to tell exactly when a fruit is ripe, and it is a matter that 
should not be left to the inexperienced. One unripe, or over-ripe, 
or slug-eaten fruit, or a few under sized often ensure an other¬ 
wise fine dish of fruit an undeserved condemnation, and which a 
little care in gathering would have avoided. 
The plantations should have a thorough overhauling after the 
crop is cleared. Throw the nets off the ground to dry, and when 
dry looped and tied in as little room as possible and stored away 
in a dry place. The plants must be examined and all the old 
leaves cut off with a knife. By the old leaves 1 mean those that 
have become brown and are far advanced towards maturity, but 
the young leaves should be carefully preserved. Th s is readily 
effected by cutting around each plant, the old leaves being lowest 
and most spreading, and by taking the leaves in one hand and 
cutting with a knife in the other the work is quickly performed. 
Runners are removed by the process, and nothing is left but the 
centre of young leaves. The removal of the old leaves gives 
space and light for new ones, which are rapidly produced, and 
these become by September quite luxuriant; and as there are 
roots corresponding the plants are regenerated, form well- 
developed crowns through the fresh growth and increased light 
afforded by the removal of the old leaves, and the necessity of 
renewal is lessened. 
The strawy portion of the mulching should be cleared off 
along with the old leaves, runners, and weeds, leaving, however, 
sufficient of the shorter parts to form a mulching, and the ground 
having become very close at the surface it may be lightly 
stirred with a fork, but not so as to bury the mulch or disturb 
the roots. It is a common practice not to remove the runners 
and old leaves until a late period in the season through pressure 
of other work, or from an idea that any time will do. Late 
removal of old leaves and a luxuriant crop of runners is so much 
taken from next year’s crop, and is more exhaustive than a crop. 
It is a wonder they fruit at all, the spaces between the plants 
being a luxuriant mass of runners, and the plants having little 
beyond old leaves when the general clearance takes place form 
few buds in embryo. Some object to removing the old leaves. 
Perhaps they have cut off the foliage with a scythe and shaved 
off young as well as old leaves. This is not our plan, nor the 
