November 28, 1885. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
but when it is considered how much they are appreciated, 
and especially by the ladies, and worthily so, it must 
be acknowledged that the time and labour bestowed on 
their culture is amply repaid. The best varieties for 
winter work, are Maria Louise, Neapolitan, and Count 
Brazza’s White, the former being the earliest to flower, 
the last two flowering simultaneously. —John Craviford , 
Coddington Hall, Newark-on-Trent. 
-•>:£<-- 
WINTERING STRAWBERRIES 
IN POTS. 
Because these plants are hardy, some growers attach 
but little importance to the practice of providing them 
with protection during the winter, and in moderately 
mild winters their sceptical proceedings experience no 
check, indeed, are rather justified by average success. 
But in severe winters matters are otherwise, and we 
find it necessary to protect them for the sake of the pots, 
which readily burst by the expansion of the soil when 
acted upon by frost. Again we must not overlook the 
fact that the entangled mass of roots of even a hardy 
plant against an earthenware surface above ground 
must be exposed to different influences to those plunged 
or planted in the open air, and extremes must act 
adversely upon them. Others, perhaps, go to the 
extreme when they store their Strawberry plants in 
autumn, and expose them on dry stages and in other 
unfavourable positions, where tliej r frequently become 
dry, and it is not observed till the soil begins to 
shrink and leave the side of the pot. 
On one occasion I saw a batch plunged in the open 
border surrounded with boards for thatched hurdles to 
rest upon for protection. This, one would imagine, 
must subject them to the incursions of worms, which 
are most detestable in a Strawberry pot; but as to how 
they fared iu that way I did not ascertain. In one 
large garden several hundreds used to be stacked on 
their sides against a specially prepared sloping bank of 
earth, the spaces between the pots being filled up with 
decayed tan. The bank being considerably higher 
than was considered wise to pile the plants, admitted 
of poles being rested obliquely on its summit to support 
reed-thatclied hurdles, the opening at the top being 
covered with Bracken, and the ends with mats, provided 
such protection that is not excelled only by brick-pits or 
well-protected frames, and of these I shall have some¬ 
thing to say presently. 
Here we pack some on their sides in ashes against a 
wall facing the north, where they remain till they are 
introduced into the forcing houses. But if before then, 
they show indications of being dry, they are arranged 
ou the surface of the ground—the ashes -which sur¬ 
rounded them having been previously levelled to stand 
them upon—watered, and covered with lights leaning 
against the wall, if at the time we have no frame for 
them. We have also packed them in the same aspect 
in double rows, and five rows high, with the jdants 
facing east and west, allowing 2 ft. space between 
each stack for the admission of light and air. Ad¬ 
ditional protection was provided by laying Pea-sticks 
over and against them, and cover these with dry litter 
or mats, according to the weather. In all methods of 
packing them on their sides, it is of the utmost importance 
that the material they are packed in should gradually 
rise from the front of the pot to the back before each 
row is arranged, in order to maintain a plumb frontage, 
or packing will be brought to an abrupt termination if 
a needlessly wide base has been started with. 
During prolonged frost much inconvenience is experi¬ 
enced from all plants that are packed or plunged, for 
however much they may be required, we must -wait till 
they are released by the thaw before they can be 
moved, and if a continuous supply has to be kept up, 
it is wise to have at least one batch under glass, so that 
they may be introduced to heat at any time. About 
the middle of October our earliest are given the shelter 
of pits or frames, and the successional ones, which are 
arranged in convenient sized beds—are protected from 
heavy rains by lights resting on pieces of quartering 
laid on bricks or pots. Any spare frames are also 
called into use and dropped over the beds. 
Pits and frames are no doubt the best for storing the 
Strawberry plants in, but they are so much in demand 
for other purposes, that only a small space in them can 
be devoted to these for three or four months. When, 
however, they are wintered in these structures, they 
should be plunged in some kind of material even for 
the sake of the pots.— IV. P. Pi. 
Nepenthes Mastersiana. 
important operation is neglected, the strength goes into 
the runners, and the plant proper is starved. It is an 
excellent plan to mulch the beds during summer, as by 
this the moisture so essential to the well-being the plants 
is retained. The Dutch hoe must frequently be used 
between the rows to keep down weeds, and for the 
admission of air, and the plants may be frequently 
syringed in the evening with water, into which a dash 
of liquid manure has been put ; this invigorates the 
foliage, and is at the same time a preventative against 
their one great enemy, red spider. 
Putting the Plants in their Winter Quarters. 
—If the plants have received proper cultural attention, 
they will by the beginning of October have made as 
much growth as desirable, and will be furnished with 
good. After the beds have had time for sweetening, 
the frames are placed on them and filled with soil, so 
as to bring the plants well up to the glass, which, by 
the way, must always be kept clean. Any light leafy 
soil answers the purpose, and the plants are removed 
to their quarters with perfect balls, planted about 9 ins. 
apart, well watered, and if the weather is open, fully 
exposed each day, as they will not submit to coddlings. 
The greatest enemy to their welfare in winter is damp, 
which must be watched for and removed, and on foggy 
days, the lights are best closed entirely. In severe 
frost an extra lining to the frames is beneficial, and a 
double mat will generally be all that is required to 
exclude frost. It may appear from these remarks that 
a deal of labour is required to produce good blooms, 
stout crowns, which can be detected at a glance, and 
will, in the case of the Marie Louise, be sending up 
their delicious flowers in quantities. At this'period I 
have beds made up some 3 ft. or 4 ft. high, consisting 
of leaves, litter, and any old “garbage,” such as is 
usually found in autumn on vegetable refuse heaps ; 
this latter acts as a check to the leaves and litter, 
and prevents a too violent heating. The beds have 
a considerable fall from back to front in order that the 
plants may receive the full benefit of the sun, which at 
this Jate period of the year is the chief agent for their 
each way, they should be shaded, if exposed to sun and 
wind, for the period of a fortnight, when they will be 
established, and shading may be dispensed with. After 
this period, the soil is not allowed to become dry, as 
the plants receive copious drenchings each evening 
from heavy rosed water pots. It is not advisable to 
deprive the plants of their first offsets or runners until 
they are well into growth, after which they must be 
regularly pinched, in order to throw strength into the 
centre or crown of the plant, that being the point from 
which the blooms are eventually to spring. If this 
