en runners begin to push, dig and manure the surrounding spaces, and
allow a certain number of runners to come out from each side of the
rows. As they approach maturity and are disposed to make roots, lay
tiles or stones upon the runners near to the young plants to favour the
process, but a neater way will be to peg them down. Or they may be fixed
by short pegs in small pots, filled with light rich earth and plunged in
the soil.

To keep the crop clean many plans are adopted, and the plant probably
takes its name from the old custom of covering the ground with straw for
the purpose. The cultivator must be left to his own devices, because of
the difficulty in many places of obtaining suitable material. But we
must warn the beginner in Strawberry culture against grass mowings as
more or less objectionable. They sometimes answer perfectly, and at
other times they encourage slugs and snails to spoil the crop, and if
partially rotted by wet weather communicate to the fruit a bad flavour.
There is a very simple means of feeding the crop and making a clean bed
for the fruit. It consists in putting on a good coat of long, strong
manure in February, and in doing this it is no great harm if the plants
are in some degree covered. They will soon push up and show themselves,
and by the time the fruit appears the straw will be washed clean, and
the crop being thus aided will be a great one, weather permitting. As
regards cutting off the leaves, we advise the removal of old large
leaves as soon as the crop is gathered. But this should be done with a
knife; to use a scythe amongst Strawberries is to ruin the plantation.
The object of removing old leaves is to admit light and air to the young
leaves, for on the free growth of these the formation of good crowns for
the next year's use depends. By encouraging the young leaves to grow,
root action is promoted, and the embryo buds are formed that will, in
the next summer, develop into Strawberries.

Some gardeners recommend the removal of the Strawberry plantation every
three years. It is a better plan to make a small plantation annually,
and at the same time destroy an old plantation that has served its turn.
But we are bound to say that Strawberry plantations, well made and well
kept, will often last and prove profitable for six or even more years.
But this will never be the case where there is a stint of manure or
water, or where the runners are allowed to run in their own way to make
a