emely prolific, and not unseldom the most
profitable crop in the garden. We have choice of seeds, divisions, and
runners in making a plantation of Strawberries. The universal way is the
best way, and it consists in planting rooted runners of named sorts in
an open sunny spot in well-prepared ground any time during spring or
autumn, when fresh and good runners are obtainable; but late planting is
undesirable, for when the plants have not time to establish themselves
before winter sets in many are lost. If, therefore, the planting cannot
be accomplished at the latest by the beginning of October, it is better
to defer the task until the spring. Plants put in at the latter time
should have the flower-stems removed, and will then yield a heavy crop
in the succeeding season.

==Treatment of Soil.==--The best soil for Strawberries is a rich, moist,
sandy loam, but a heavy soil will answer perfectly if it is well
prepared. The ground should be trenched and liberally enriched with
rotten manure placed between the top and bottom spits, where the plants
will reach it when they are most in need. In a new soil that is rather
stiff it will be advisable, when the trenching has been completed, to
put down the line and cut shallow trenches, which should be filled with
any rather fine kindly stuff that may be at hand, such as old hot-bed
soil, leaf-mould, or a mixture of material turned out of pots, with some
good decayed manure. In this the young plants will root freely and
quickly without becoming gross, for they should attain a certain degree
of vigour; but an excessive leaf growth may result in losses during
winter, and a small crop of fruit in the following year. Well-cultivated
soils need no such special preparation, but in any case a good digging
and a liberal manuring are absolutely necessary. And here it may be well
to state that after the plants have obtained a firm hold on the soil it
matters not how hard the ground becomes. The practice of some growers in
running a plough lightly between the rows either for a mulch, or to give
the plants the full benefit of rain, does not in the least degree upset
this conclusion, for this only creates a loose and friable surface, and
the operation is so managed that the soil near the roots remains
undisturbed. It may be accepted as a secret of successful Strawberry
culture that the bed should be firm and compact, and, in forcing, this
principle is so far recognised that the soil is positively