20 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
planting the beds, which is bad economy, as a very fair season is gained by 
promptitude on this point, it being quite possible to take a very fair average 
crop the first year after planting in the autumn, if only time is taken by the 
forelock in preparing the plants. I am aware that this is contrary to the 
opinion of some of our celebrated Strawberry growers, but I know it can be 
done in at least four seasons out of five, and that without any detriment to the 
plants. I have plants now standing which were planted early in September, 
1863, from which I had a good average crop of splendid fruit in 1864, and 
the plants are very strong indeed, possessing more than an average of ten 
plump flower-buds to each plant. The practice is, about the middle of June, 
w r hen plenty of pots are at liberty from bedding purposes, to fill as many four- 
inch pots, as plants will be required for the new beds, with a compost of loam, 
rotten manure, and a slight admixture of sand, press it down firm in the pots, 
and let there be more than the actual number required, as some of the runners 
invariably degenerate, and will not form flower-buds ; these must be rejected, 
and only healthy foliage and large plump buds be selected for planting. These 
pots may be placed out of doors in any vacant spot near the beds, so that a 
few can be taken at any time with little trouble, and as soon as a runner or 
runners, as the case may be, is ready to lay, place a pot, and peg it on the top 
of the compost, not plunge it, place the pots in rows as near as possible, for the 
convenience of watering, and quite open to the sun. Do not wait until there are 
runners enough to peg down all at once in the pots, but take them a few at a time, 
and as soon as ready. I repeat, time is everything; and a runner being placed 
in favourable conditions will root in the soil immediately, but will not do so if 
left loosely sprawling about. Water must be freely applied in dry weather, 
and as soon as the pots are full of roots, they should be separated from the 
parent plant, and placed in a situation exposed to the sun all day, water freely, 
and shade for a day or two, and afterwards apply water and liquid manure 
alternately for a week or two, whilst the beds are being prepared for trans¬ 
planting. • 
Planting the Beds. —Bjr the end of August the plants in most seasons 
will be ready for planting out, and the beds having been previously prepared 
as before recommended, mark them out in rows 30 inches apart, and the 
plants the same distance apart in the rows, the plants in the second row should 
be opposite to the centre of the plants in the front row, quincunx fashion. 
Turn the plants cut of the pots, and keep the balls entire, take out a hole with 
a trowel rather larger than the ball, place the plants therein, and take care 
that the hole is not so deep but that the crown shall stand level with the sur¬ 
face when finally pressed down into position, which is best effected by the 
planter placing a foot on each side of the ball under the foliage, and by the 
weight of the body sending it down firm. 
The pots should be well soaked previous to planting, and the after-watering 
required will depend upon the state of the weather; in any case much will 
not be required. 
The After-management. —The young plants will soon begin to throw 
out runners, and through the autumn these must be kept removed as fast as 
they appear, and for that season shallow stirrings of the surface with a hoe to 
keep down seed weeds is all that will be necessary. In the spring the same 
process is to be followed up, and for the same purpose; and about the time 
the plants come into bloom, the whole of the surface must be covered with 
long green grass (not short grass from the pleasure grounds, by any means); 
previous to which, however, if the weather is dry, a thorough good soaking of 
water should be applied, but as a rule, and with a tolerably stiff, retentive soil 
to deal with, I do not hold with too much water, believing that it injures the 
