August  1,  1895. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
99 
element  was  lacking,  or  not  applied  in  time,  the  crop,  no  doubt,  has 
been  below  the  standard. 
In  our  own  case  it  was  just  given  in  time,  and  before  the  plants 
commenced  to  feel  the  ill  effects  of  the  prolonged  drought.  It  is 
not  daily  dribblets  that  such  a  plant  as  the  Strawberry  needs,  but 
about  three  thorough  waterings  ;  then  with  this,  coupled  with  the 
mulching  of  litter  laid  between  the  rows  to  keep  the  fruit  clean, 
the  fruit  will  swell  and  ripen  satisfactorily.  The  water  by  being 
directed  into  the  heart  of  each  plant,  the  whole  ball  of  soil  about 
the  roots  is  thoroughly  soaked,  whilst  the  fruit  laying  around  the 
plants  is  kept  clean.  I  have  just  made  these  few  observations  on 
watering  in  passing,  as  it  may  fall  on  “  good  ground,”  and  prove 
of  benefit  for  another  season. 
I  may  also  say  a  few  words  re  liquid  manure  for  Strawberries 
growing  in  the  open  air,  as  in  these  days  of  progress  in  fruit  culture, 
when  fruit  growing  is  being  taken  up  on  all  sides,  and  in  almost  every 
garden,  liquid  manure  enters  largely  into  the  mind  of  the  “embryo” 
fruit  grower.  Whether  it  is  always  advantageous  is  another 
matter,  but  it  is  certainly  good  in  its  place.  My  advice  is  never  to 
apply  it  after  the  fruit  is  set.  It  might  benefit  the  plants,  but  not 
the  fruit,  which  lying  as  it  does  close  on  the  ground,  liquid  manure 
taints  it,  and  is  very  disagreeable  to  those  who  may  have  to  partake 
of  it.  I  have  even  seen  sewage  recommended  for  Strawberries. 
The  best  time  to  apply  this  or  liquid  manure  is  in  the  winter  or 
autumn,  though  it  would  prove  of  benefit  now  to  plants  which 
have  borne  a  crop  of  fruit,  and  are  required  for  another  season. 
Whether  it  is  always  advisable  to  retain  the  plants  is  another 
question,  which  brings  me  to  the  point  as  to  how  long  should 
Strawberry  plants  remain  to  prove  profitable. 
Soils,  position,  and  variety  often  make  a  difference  as  to  what 
period  the  plants  should  remain,  but  I  have  come  to  the  conclusion 
that  two  years  is  ample.  In  many  cases  good  crops  may  be  secured 
the  third  season  ;  but  with  well  cultivated  plants  the  second  year’s 
fruiting  is  always  the  best,  and  not  caring  to  have  a  tail  end 
periodically  I  make  a  fresh  plantation  every  season.  The 
“  annual  ”  plants  produce  the  earliest  and  finest  fruits.  This  point 
of  earliness  is  well  worth  taking  into  account,  as  with  these  young 
plants  there  is  quite  a  week  in  the  time  of  their  being  fit  for 
gathering  over  even  two-year-old  plants.  Whether  these  young 
plants  will  reach  to  this  satisfactory  stage  the  first  season  after 
planting  will  depend  on  the  time  of  planting,  condition  of  plants, 
and,  of  course,  the  state  of  the  ground. 
If  the  plants  are  ready,  the  last  week  in  July  is  the  most  suit¬ 
able  time  for  planting,  or  at  any  rate  not  later  than  the  middle  of 
August.  Put  out  at  this  date,  the  plants  also  being  satisfactory, 
quite  large  stock  will  be  produced,  capable  of  producing  an 
abundance  of  fruit  the  season  after  planting.  For  this  early 
planting  the  plants  must  either  have  been  layered  in  small  pots  or 
between  the  rows  in  some  rich,  lumpy  compost,  such  as  loam  and 
horse  droppings.  Layered  thus,  and  with  ample  room  allowed 
between  the  layers,  the  plants  may  be  lifted,  with  good  balls  of  soil 
attached,  and  planted  direct  into  their  fruiting  quarters.  The 
ground  should  have  been  prepared  according  to  the  natural  staple, 
texture,  and  fertility,  and  the  planting  must  proceed  quickly  and 
be  well  done. 
Some  soils  will  only  need  well  forking  over,  with  the  addition 
of  decayed  manure  and  burnt  refuse.  The  latter  supplies  that 
desirable  element,  i.e.,  potash,  so  essential  for  this  fruit,  and  also 
in  stiff  or  heavy  soils  assists  them  mechanically.  Other  soils  which 
had  been  well  prepared  for  a  previous  crop,  such  as  early  Potatoes 
or  Cauliflowers,  may  be  in  a  condition  to  support  a  Strawberry 
crop  with  merely  forking  the  soil  over  so  as  to  become  pulverised. 
But  even  in  these  cases,  if  there  is  the  least  doubt  as  to  its  fertility, 
do  not  omit  manure  and  burnt  refuse.  Some  soils  may  need 
bastard  trenching. 
For  many  years  Mr.  Douglas  at  Loxford  Hall  used  to  work 
on  the  system  of  bastard  trenching  on  the  gravelly  and  poverty 
stricken  soil  in  that  garden,  and  also  proved  that  the  annual 
system  of  Strawberry  culture  was  the  best  to  pursue  ;  in  fact, 
I  believe  he  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of  this  course  of  Straw¬ 
berry  culture,  and  the  crops  and  quality  produced  were  of  the 
highest  order.  It  will  therefore  be  seen  that  this  popular  fruit, 
like  all  others,  succeeds  with  the  least  trouble  on  soils  naturally 
adapted  for  its  culture  ;  yet  the  most  sterile  land  may  be  brought 
into  a  fit  state  by  adopting  measures  according  to  local  circumstances 
and  surroundings. 
Planting  must  be  done  carefully  and  firmly,  pressing  the  soil 
about  the  plants  with  the  fingers,  leaving  a  basin-like  cavity  round 
each,  as  a  better  means  of  water  reaching  the  balls,  so  that  the 
plants  may  become  quickly  established.  One  or  two  waterings  may 
only  be  needed,  whilst  if  the  weather  should  be  dry  and  the  soil 
naturally  light,  several  may  be  required.  Keeping  the  runners 
closely  picked  off,  and  the  Dutch  hoe  run  over  the  surface  occasion¬ 
ally  to  keep  down  weeds,  will  be  all  the  attention  needed  to  produce 
satisfactory  plants. 
With  the  advance  of  fruit  culture,  so  also  is  there  a  decided 
gain  in  the  varieties  growers  now  have  to  select  from,  and  for 
which  we  have  mainly  to  thank  Mr.  Laxton  and  his  sons,  who 
with  characteristic  energy  and  perseverance  have  worked  on 
until  now  there  are  grand  Strawberries,  good  alike  in  condition, 
cropping  qualities,  and  flavour,  the  latter  being  no  mean  trait, 
without  which  no  Strawberry  can  be  considered  first  class.  Royal 
Sovereign,  Latest  of  All,  and  Monarch  are  a  noble  trio.  Of  course, 
the  latter  has  not  yet  been  put  into  commerce,  but  by  what  I  have 
seen  of  it  as  exhibited  by  Messrs.  Laxton,  and  also  judging  by  the 
observations  of  a  gentleman  who  had  seen  it  at  home.  Monarch  is 
likely  to  prove  a  standard  kind. 
Gunton  Park  and  Lord  Suffield  are  also  excellent  Strawberries, 
and  likely  to  be  grown  much  in  the  future.  Of  course,  we  all 
have  a  good  word  for  some  of  our  old  favourities,  such  as  President, 
which  this  season  with  us  has  developed  its  highest  qualities. 
Dr.  Hogg,  Sir  Charles  Napier,  Vicomtesse  Hericart  de  Thury,  and 
others,  which  often  seem  peculiarly  adapted  for  some  soils  and 
districts,  may  fail  utterly  in  others.  I  will  give  a  notable  instance. 
Sir  Joseph  Paxton  will  not  succeed  at  all  in  this  garden,  although 
considered  a  good  Strawberry  soil,  and  the  main  of  other  varieties 
succeed. — A.  TouNa. 
DO  LEA.VES  ABSORB  MOISTURE? 
I  SHOULD  like  to  make  a  few  more  remarks  on  this  question  in 
answer  to  those  of  your  correspondents  in  last  week’s  issue, 
pages  75  and  76.  Being  a  gardener,  I  have  seen  Vine  leaves,  and 
those  of  other  plants,  freshen  after  the  foliage  has  been  wetted 
either  with  the  syringe  or  watercan,  and,  like  your  correspondent 
“  Greenhorn,”  I  thought  it  was  due  to  prevention  of  evaporation 
from  the  leaf,  as  I  then  thought  evaporation  and  transpiration 
meant  the  same  thing. 
After  carefully  considering  this  matter  I  was  forced  to  give 
this  idea  up,  and  accept  that  the  freshening  of  leaves  was  due  to 
the  closing  of  the  stomata,  which  was  caused  by  the  coldness 
produced  by  the  evaporation  of  the  water  from  the  surface  of  the 
leaf,  this  giving  the  roots  time  to  absorb  sufficient  water  to  again 
make  the  cells  of  the  leaf  turgid. 
When  the  paths  and  walla  of  houses  are  damped  and  the 
ventilators  closed,  flaccid  leaves  on  plants  soon  freshen.  In  this 
case  freshening  is  no  doubt  owing  to  transpiration  being  reduced 
to  a  minimum,  which  is  due  to  the  light  being  obstructed  by  the 
condensed  water  covering  the  glass  ;  the  roots  being  then  able  to 
supply  sufficient  water  for  the  plant  to  regain  its  turgidity. 
Cut  grass,  when  covered  with  dew  would  be  -  under  similar 
conditions  to  leaves  put  under  water,  and  would  be  able  to  absorb 
water  through  their  stomata,  or  any  surface  not  covered  with  cutin 
or  wax. 
Perhaps  the  words  “  under  ordinary  circumstances  ”  was  not 
quite  so  clear  as  it  might  have  been.  What  I  wished  to  convey  to 
your  correspondent  was  plants  growing — like  Vines  and  Tomatoes 
under  glass,  which  do  not  have  their  foliage  wetted  after  the  early 
stages  of  their  growth,  and  plants  growing  under  natural  conditions 
and  having  sufficient  water  at  their  roots.  I  do  not  think  ic  can  be 
claimed  that  leaves  are  under  ordinary  circumstances  when  they 
are  cut  from  the  plant  and  then  exposed  to  dew  or  placed  under 
water. 
Your  correspondent,  “  Greenhorn,”  says  “  I  seem  to  agree 
with  both  sides,  and  so  will  be  right  anyhow.”  To  this  I  may  say 
I  have  only  stated  facts  as  they  occurred  to  me,  for  if  I  had  given 
a  logical  answer  to  his  question  I  must  have  said  “  Yes,”  for  it  is 
well  known  to  students  of  botany  that  Salvina  natans,  which  is  an 
aquatic  plant  found  floating  on  the  surface  of  ponds,  bears  on  its 
upper  surface  four  rows  of  flat  aerial  leaves,  while  below  it  gives  off 
two  rows  of  submerged  root-like  organs  which  perform  all  the 
functions  of  roots,  but  are  in  reality  highly  modified  leaves,  no 
true  roots  being  present. 
In  reply  to  Mr.  G.  Henslow’s  remarks  I  may  say  that  the 
absorption  of  water  through  the  pore  of  the  stomata  is  not  so 
inconceivable  to  me  as  its  passage  through  the  cuticle  and  cells  of 
the  epidermis,  as  I  consider  the  attraction  for  water  by  the  cells 
forming  the  middle  part  of  the  leaf  is  sufficient  to  overcome  the  air 
within  the  intercellular  spaces  when  water  is  required.  Although 
the  pores  of  the  stomata  are  so  small  they  can  be  seen  with  a  very 
low  power  of  the  microscope,  but  the  strongest  power  will  not 
reveal  any  holes  or  pores  in  the  cell  walls  of  the  root  hairs,  and 
yet  water  passes  through  them.  Where  is  the  difficulty  of  accept¬ 
ing  that  water  can  pass  through  the  stomata  ? 
I  did  not  wish,  when  answering  the  question,  to  go  into  the 
whole  province  of  botany  ;  for  if  •!  had  I  should  have  required 
I  more  space  than  the  Editor  would  have  allowed.  For  all  practical 
