April 19, 1988. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
313 
W E are now in the midst of the season for forced Strawberries, 
and a few remarks on the subject may be of service to those 
in need of advice. Unfortunately no general rules can be laid down, 
so much depending upon the facilities that each possesses for forcing. 
In any case it frequently takes two or three seasons to discover 
which varieties best suit the place, and to find the most suitable 
positions for them. As far as we are concerned no difficulty is ex¬ 
perienced in producing ripe fruit by the middle of March, or when 
Strawberries cannot be bought for less than sixpence each, and this 
season not one plant in fifty has failed either to flower strongly or 
set a good crop. The earliest to ripen is a little known variety 
we have under the name of Princess of Prussia, this being a sure 
and heavy cropper and from a week to ten days in advance of 
Yicomtesse Hericart de Thury. The latter, however, is the better in 
point of colour and flavour and a better traveller. What makes the 
fruit still more valuable is the fact that it is of good flavour gathered 
■direct from plants growing in a temperature and atmosphere suit¬ 
ing Pines, Beans, and Stephanotis. The favourite variety with 
my employers, however, is Sir Joseph Paxton ; this ripens early 
in April, is of taking appearance, travels well, and is of good 
flavour. President for a succession and British Queen for the la'.e 
supplies complete our list. 
At one time our plants were started on the shelves in the early 
and successional Peach houses, being transferred to strong heat as 
soon as the crops were set. In these positions, where they naturally 
require abundance of water, they render the borders underneath 
very wet and sour, and we have now hit upon a better system in 
every way. In the first place the good old plan (which as a boy I 
did not like) is adopted of cleaning the pots, clearing off the 
rubbish and surface soil, and after the sides are well rammed a top¬ 
dressing of rich loamy soil is given. The requisite number, or say 
fifty plants, more or less according to the requirements of the 
establishment and the shelves to be filled, are plunged in a gentle 
hotbed of leaves not far from the glass in a heated pit. There they 
soon form fresh foliage, and the roots also being active fine trusses 
of bloom are thrown up. Plants are thus started every fort¬ 
night, and where it can be practised this wiU be found a sure, easy, 
and cleanly method. 
Many succeed very well up to a certain point, but they fail to 
set the strongest or first flowers, and it is no unusual occurrence for 
the principal portion of early plants to be useless. The latter is 
most to be regretted, but I dislike losing the first strong flowers, 
as these only are followed by fine fruits. It is, however, possible 
to set every flower early in the season in a high temperature and a 
moist atmosphere, if only the precaution is taken to carefully 
fertilise each when fully expanded. This brings me to one of the 
most important factors in our success with Strawberries. 
For various reasons it is advisable to dispose the Strawberry 
shelves as near a pathway as possible, there being no better position 
than against the comparatively low back walls of three-quarter span- 
roofed forcing houses, and if these are not sufficient, suspended 
shelves within easy distance of the pathways, as well as front 
benches over the front hot-water pipes are suitable. We rely on 
the back wall shelves principally, the plants being set on these just 
as they are opening the first flowers. There they are easily reached 
for the purpose of fertilising, and those in charge have no excuse 
No. -108.—VoL. XVI., Third Series 
for neglecting to keep them well supplied with water. For effect¬ 
ing a good set I have tried syiinging, tapping the trusses when dry, 
and the use of either a camel-hair brush, a piece of sponge, or 
the skin side of cotton woo!, and prefer the sponge to any of 
the others. It is advisable towards midday to gently sponge each 
flower, this effectually lodging the pollen on the numerous tiny 
stigmas. This artificial method of fertilising may not be neces¬ 
sary after this month, nor at any time when plenty of air is ad¬ 
mitted to the plants in full flower, but I hold it unwise to leave 
anything to chance, and never mind spending a little time in 
“ sponging or setting ” Strawberry flowers. In any case it obviates 
the necessity for keeping the plants in an airy house till a good set 
is effected. 
Strawberries are sure fosterers of red spider and other pests in 
a less degree, hence the advisability of keeping them out of 
vineries and Peach houses as much as possible. It is better to be 
without a few dishes of early Strawberries than incur the risks of 
spreading red spider on the Vines and trees. High hack shelves, 
although not the best places for Strawberries, are necessarily often 
utilised for their culture in pots, and it is in these positions where 
they require most water and very often get the worst attendance in 
this respect. Troughs that hold water are sometimes recommended 
for Strawberries, but although this may save the watering pot, it 
has a most prejudicial effect upon the quality of the fruits, these 
being nearly as sour as vinegar. Mr. Taylor when at Longleat used 
to stand all the pots on small squares of turf, and into this the roots 
soon found their way. Many are unable to procure thin turf 
suitable for this purpose, and in spite of Mr. Taylor’s undonbted 
success with Strawberries in pots, I believe a good bed of fresh 
moss even preferable to turf. Our plants, being started in a genial 
hotbed, invariably send a number of roots through the drainage 
holes, and in order to preserve these we adopted the plan of covering 
the shelves intended for their reception with moss. The roots take 
readily to this, and I believe derive some support from the moisture 
and liquid manure that it holds. Turves will, if of a clayey nature, 
become sour, but not so the moss, nor does the soil become dry so 
quickly as when the plants are set on bare boards. 
Whatever plan may be adopted it is unwise to leave many fruits 
on a plant, from six to nine on each, according to the varieties, 
being ample. The nnmerous small fruits ought to be removed 
early, and before the reserved fruits commence ripening all should 
be neatly propped up with Birch twigs. This greatly improves 
their appearance, saves the stems from being bent or crippled, and 
keeps the fruit clear of the soil or any dirty water or liquid 
manure that may be used. Much in every case depends upon those 
in charge of the houses, and when I can point to a good crop of 
fruit I never hesitate to give the foreman full credit for his share 
in the work. All head gardeners well know what a relief it is to 
have a man under them who never neglects the Strawberries and 
other plants in pots. The Strawberries occasionally require water 
twice in a day, liquid manure frequently, and syringing daily. 
Neglect of these details become? only too apparent when the 
crops are swelling.—W. Igguldex. 
[Six large fruits of Sir Joseph Paxton Strawberry accompanied 
this communication, four of which were extremely handsome and 
well developed ; the other two were slightly deformed, and were 
sent to show the effects of imperfect fertilisation. Five fruits 
weighed about 4 ozs.] 
Last summer being an exceptionally dry one it was a difficult 
matter to procure Strawberry runners even for late summer plan¬ 
tations, while securing good ones for pot culture and forcing was 
quite out of the question, as none was produced until late in 
August; at least that was my experience in this dry chalky sod 
Wishing to overcome the difficulty I decided to push on my plants 
that had been forced and try them again; therefore, in the 
beginning of June all the best of them had the soil shaken out, the 
No. 2064.— VoL. LNXVIII., Old Series. 
