188 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
have a heavy dressing of manure, and should be dug deeply. I plant them in 
rows 2 feet apart, and about 20 inches from plant to plant; this I consider 
ample room for Keens’ Seedling and all Strawberries of similar growth. 
Queens, Eltons, Eleanors, and others of similar growth I plant in rows of from 
26 to 28 inches apart, and about 24 inches apart from plant to plant; this I 
consider, in general, sufficient width. If the land be a very deep rich loam 
the rows may be a little wider; but I do not think there is much advantage in 
it, especially if the foliage does not well cover the ground, as the latter then 
gets very parched in dry, hot weather. All runners are kept down by being 
cut off as they appear, and the ground between the rows is stirred two or three 
times with the hoe to keep down weeds, &c. 
Early in the autumn, before severe frosts set in, a little partly-rotted 
manure is put around the plants; this protects the crowns from injury from 
frost during the winter, and by spring the soluble portion is washed into the 
soil by the rains, thereby greatly benefiting the plants and leaving a nice thin 
layer of clean straw for the fruit to rest on. In severe winters the plants will 
sometimes get partially lifted out of the ground by the frost; when this occurs, 
early in March, before the plants begin to grow, and whilst the soil is moist, I 
go over them and press them into the ground with my feet. When done soon 
enough, this does not injure the crowns in the least, and the plants do much 
better afterwards than if left partially lifted out of the ground. 
After the crop has been gathered the following season all the runners and 
most of the old leaves are cut clean off, the ground between the rows is forked 
over or very lightly dug, all runners are cut away as they appear, and the 
ground is stirred once or twice before the autumn. A good dressing of rotten 
manure is again placed about the plants. When the crop of the following 
season is over they again receive similar treatment. I do not consider it 
profitable to leave the plantations after the fourth year. It is much better to 
destroy them then and depend on a succession of younger plantations. 
With regard to watering, there is no doubt that after the fruit is set good 
soakings of water in dry weather are very beneficial by improving the size and 
quality of the fruit. In the absence of rain heavy waterings greatly promote 
the growth and vigour of the plants after the crop is gathered. Slight or 
partial waterings are of little, if any, advantage. If watering be attempted at 
all, it should be done thoroughly. There are many places no doubt where 
this can be done, but there are also very many where it cannot be attempted. 
I do not myself water the plants after they are first planted. Strawberries do 
very well here in general, and only suffer in extremely dry seasons. 
Stourton. M. Saul. 
A FEW NOTES ON ZONALE AND NOSEGAY 
PELARGONIUMS. 
On no class of plants has there been so much attention bestowed during 
the last few years as on the Zonale and Nosegay Pelargoniums. At present 
we have so many, that it is somewhat difficult to make a selection of the very 
best; but as I spent a few hours at Chiswick some days ago, where there is 
one of the best collections I ever saw, my notes of what I considered the best 
may not be uninteresting to the readers of the Florist and Pomologist, for 
most gardeners are now making such arrangements as will ensure the best 
display another season. Before, however, I advert further to these varieties, 
I may mention that there are others which are very good and suitable for par¬ 
ticular purposes, but all of those which I shall mention are of good habit and 
free-flowering, except the variegated kinds, which I think are best (at least a 
