May, 1911 
HOUSE AND GARDEN 
351 
deeper. Set them in firm—if the soil is dry press 
into place with the balls of the feet, placed either 
side of the newly set plants. 
There are two types of layers : those rooted auto¬ 
matically in the soil of the bed, and pot-layers. 
These latter are got by sinking two or three inch 
pots into the soil and filling level and holding a 
rooting runner in place over each with a small 
stone, so that the roots will be confined within the 
pot. These, of course stand transplanting more 
readily than the ordinary layers, especially in sum¬ 
mer or autumn. 
There are two ways of setting the plants suited 
to the home garden, where the best in quality as 
well as in yield should always be aimed at. The 
first is the hill system. The plants are set in rows 
about a foot apart. The rows may be single, or four or five to¬ 
gether in a bed, the rows a foot apart, with a two foot alley be¬ 
tween the beds. In this case all runners are pinched off as soon 
as they start and the ground hoed between the hills. Where only 
a few plants are grown and the soil is rich and may be watered, 
this method will probably give the 
best satisfaction. The second is the 
“matted row” system. The plants 
are set, twelve inches apart in rows 
about three feet apart. As the run¬ 
ners start, they are rooted to a dis¬ 
tance of six or eight inches on each 
side of the row and then turned 
along it. This gives a neat, narrow 
row, twelve to sixteen inches wide. 
These new plants are separated from 
the parent ones as soon as well estab¬ 
lished, and all other runners, from 
both sets of plants, kept pinched off. 
There are also two system of grow¬ 
ing the berries as well as two of set¬ 
ting the plants; the annual, by which 
only one crop of berries is taken before the plants are discarded, 
and the biennial. The latter may be used with either the hill or 
the matted row system, but in either case the first crop will be the 
best if not the biggest, and the beds must be kept clean. For the 
annual system, pot-layered plants and the hill system of growing 
are used and maximum quality and quantity of crop attained. 
This system is as follows: as soon as the plants are through fruit¬ 
ing or by setting aside for propagation purposes a few plants, not 
permitted to fruit, get new plants by the pot-layering method. As 
soon as possible after the middle of July, set these in the new bed. 
which must be rich and thoroughly prepared and give them clean 
frequent cultivation until the fall. Pinch off all runners as fast 
as they appear. The idea is to make a strong quick growth and 
concentrate it all in the newly set crowns, thus assuring a full crop 
of the very best fruit for the following spring. The advantages 
of this system are, that there is a full crop every year, instead of 
only two in three years. After the old bed is plowed down for a 
late vegetable crop, there is time for an early one, lettuce, peas, 
beets, etc., before the new bed is set. It also means the very best 
quality and size of fruit. 
Whatever methods of planting and growing are used, the beds 
must be kept clean and frequently cultivated. A wheel hoe and a 
small “onion” hoe for use between the plants are the handiest tools 
to use. For a month or two after setting the plants — work the 
ground rather deeply, but as the new roots begin to form and 
spread, restrict it to an inch or two in depth. It is particularly 
important to maintain the soil mulch in dry weather, by frequent 
stirring of the soil. 
The purpose of mulching the strawberry bed is five fold. It 
Marshall, a standard 
main-crop variety 
Gandy, one of the 
best late varieties 
gives winter protection ; holds the plants from start¬ 
ing prematurely in the spring; keeps the berries 
clean ; retains the soil moisture ; and keeps the weeds 
down. So it pays to do it well. Salt or meadow hay 
is the ideal material to use, but if it cannot be had, 
other cheap hay, straw or even leaves will answer. 
Cover both beds and walls to a depth of two or three 
inches, before severe frosts. Hold in place, if neces¬ 
sary, with boards or plank. Leave on until growth 
starts in the spring and then pull aside from each 
plant to let the leaves and flower stalks up through. 
Keep as evenly and compactly about the plants as 
possible, to mulch the soil and to protect the fruit. 
The strawberry is comparatively free from seri¬ 
ous injury by disease, “rust” or blighting of the 
leaves being the most troublesome. Where clean 
culture is given, and the beds kept down only one or two years at 
a time, it is most unlikely to prove troublesome. Sometimes also 
they are attacked by mildew. Both troubles are controlled bv 
spraying with Bordeaux. Make first application soon after plants 
are set and three or four times before fall, and just before blos¬ 
soming, following ten days later in the spring. 
Among the insect enemies, the White Grub (larva of the June 
bug) is the most troublesome. Dig out and destroy. Do not fol¬ 
low grass or sod directly with strawberries. The strawberry 
worm, a small green caterpillar, sometimes proves annoying, when 
in large quantities. Dust the foliage, while moist, with finely 
sifted ashes or with lime. If cut-worms cause any trouble, dig up 
and destroy and catch with sweetened bran mash sprayed with 
Paris green. 
In selecting varieties of strawberries, care must be taken, if 
the “imperfect” flavored sorts are planted, to have a row of some 
“perfect” flowering sort every six to nine feet. The following 
are all good, high quality berries, that are successfully grown 
over a wide range of soil and climate: (Early) Haverland, 
Michel’s Early, Warfield, Bubach No. 5, Glen Mary, Brandy¬ 
wine, Marshall, Nick, Ohmer and Sample. (Late) Common¬ 
wealth, Gandv. 
The Grape 
There may be some excuse for your not growing your own- 
fruits, if your space is limited, but you 
cannot use this excuse about grapes. 
The classical fig-tree may not be 
adapted to your particular climate but 
by all means have your own vine:—if 
there is not room for a trellis in the 
garden, train it against a wall of the 
house, wagon shed or garage. 
The grape is not particular as to 
soil, as long as it is well drained. I 
have seen them thriving on soil so 
gravelly that it would seem nothing 
could grow there. If it can be had, a 
soil rather of clay composition will be 
best. The exposure should be to the 
sun, and if possible an open, airy one. 
If the soil is not already in good con¬ 
dition, and well enriched, prepare it 
thoroughly in both these respects be¬ 
fore you plant. Stable manure will 
be good to use, provided it is well rotted up, but a liberal dressing 
of wood ashes should be added to supply potash, as it is necessary 
to have the wood thoroughly ripen and harden by fall, for upon 
this depends the crop of the following year. If using chemicals, 
take equal parts of bone, acid phosphate and muriate of potash, 
with a light top dressing of nitrate of soda, early in the spring 
Haverland, a tried- 
and-true early va¬ 
riety 
