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August 2, 1909 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
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View of “Ivanhoe” (Mr. Geo. Brookman’s Residence) in 1882. 
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may be put into position, with every 
prospect of their thriving. 
— Width at which to Plant. — 
Strawberry cultivation in Australia is 
almost entirely, if not exclusively, con- 
fined to growing the plants in rows, 
though, in America they are sometimes 
cultivated in the ‘mat. This latter 
system consists ef allowing the runners 
to take root, and so cover the whole field. 
In our climate it has nothing to recom- 
mend it, for, under such conditions, the 
beds cannot be kept free from weeds ; the 
fruit cannot be gathered without damage 
to the plants; and ripening is retarded. 
Intending planters will, therefore, find it 
advisable to confine their efforts to row- 
planting. Young plants may be put in 
until the end of August, though the 
earlier they are put in the greater the 
likelihood of them coming into bearing 
the following season. Prepared land 
should be marked out in lines about 2ft. 
6in, from each other, and along these the 
young plants set at intervals of 18in. 
When the lines have been marked out, 
the usual procedure is to provide one or 
two men with measuring rods, who go 
along the lines marking the positions the 
young plants are to occupy. If the 
strawberries are to be grown between the 
rows of trees the distance between the 
lines may be increased to enable scarify- 
ing and keeping down the weeds to be 
done expeditiously, The lines should 
never be nearer than five feet to the 
trees, for while they do not require much 
space during their early existence in. 
which to spread their roots, ample room 
should be left for extension. 
— Selection of Plants. — 
In established gardens young plants 
are secured either from the runners 
thrown out shortly after blooming or by 
the division of the parent. None but the 
strongest runners should be selected, and 
every care should be taken to ascertain 
that the stock is a good bearer. This is 
a matter of great importance. Some 
plants are almost sterile, and conse- 
quently bear very few, if any, berries. 
During the fruiting season the estab- 
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lished plants should be carefully observed 
so that, when any are found to be barren 
or poor bearers, they may be uprooted. 
If this is not done, the grower runs the 
risk of planting them out on some future 
occasion, which will almost inevitably 
result in loss or absolute failure. As the 
runners from the more prolific bearers 
are thrown out, the grower should go 
along the rows making small holes with 
his fingers, and placing the joints of the 
runners in them, They should then be 
lightly covered with soil to hold them in 
position. By doing this they are guarded 
from the wind, and are enabled to strike 
their roots and become firmly established 
by the time they are required for forming 
new beds. Runners as a rule make 
stronger growing plants than those 
obtained from dividing up the parent 
stocks. Obtaining plants by division, 
however, has its advantages. When the 
season has militated against securing a 
good strike from the runners, the com- 
plement required for setting out a new 
block may be obtained by dividing the 
