48 
THE FLOIUST’S JOURNAL. 
berries, I will now proceed to notice the cultivation of this 
general favourite. In the first place, the spot on which to form 
the beds is to be chosen; and it should consist, if possible, of a 
loamy soil. If the natural soil is not of this nature, the culti¬ 
vator will be well repaid by procuring a few loads of turfy 
maiden loam from an old pasture, for it is that which straw¬ 
berries most delight in. Having chosen the ground for the beds, 
let it be cleared of all weeds, and then trenched to the depth of 
two feet and a half; after being levelled, put on a good dressing 
of loam or manure, but give the preference to the former; if 
manure is applied, the condition of the soil must be taken into 
consideration, for if it is already rich, too great an addition of 
manure will make the plants grow luxuriantly, and they will 
produce fewer fruit: let this dressing be then forked in just 
under the surface, so that the young plants may find benefit 
from it the first season ; for the roots of strawberries are ge¬ 
nerally abundant near the surface of the soil, and many people 
lose the benefit of the manure they apply by burying it too 
deeply, which in all cases should be avoided. The ground may 
then be divided into beds of about four feet in breadth, leaving 
two feet for a path between them: when this is done, stretch 
a line and draw three drills in each bed, at one foot and a half 
apart : this will not be too much room for strong plants to 
grow in. The plants to be selected for planting in these beds 
should be from the youngest stock, and those runners that are 
nearest to the parent plant are to be preferred, as they are 
generally the strongest. Be careful to avoid taking plants from 
old and exhausted beds, for they will prove but little worth, and 
cause much disappointment. The plants may be planted at the 
same distance in the drills as from row to row, for I have 
e 
always found that when plants have plenty of room, and are 
kept apart, they flourish better, and produce better crops and 
finer fruit than when they are suffered to grow in a thick mass. 
When suffered to grow in that state, the fruit soon becomes 
small and comparatively worthless. When the planting is com¬ 
pleted they must be supplied with water; and in order that they 
may obtain the benefit of the autumnal rains, and get well 
settled in the soil before the winter, the operation of planting 
should be performed about October; for it frequently occurs 
that when the planting is left till later in the autumn, the 
plants, not having time to make fresh roots, get thrown out of 
