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STRAWBERRIES. Sir Joseph Banks, from a variety of experiments, and the
experience of many years, recommends a general revival of the now almost
obsolete practice of laying straw under strawberry plants, when the
fruit begins to swell; by which means the roots are shaded from the sun,
the waste of moisture by evaporation prevented, the leaning fruit kept
from damage, by resting on the ground, particularly in wet weather, and
much labour in watering saved. Twenty trusses of long straw are
sufficient for 1800 feet of plants. On the management of strawberries in
June and July, the future prosperity of them greatly depends; and if
each plant has not been kept separate, by cutting off the runners, they
will be in a state of confusion, and you will find three different
sorts of plants. 1. Old plants, whose roots are turned black, hard, and
woody. 2. Young plants, not strong enough to flower. 3. Flowering
plants, which ought only to be there, and perhaps not many of them.
Before the time of flowering is quite over, examine them, and pull up
every old plant which has not flowered; for, if once they have omitted
to flower you may depend upon it they will never produce any after,
being too old, and past bearing; but to be fully convinced, leave two or
three, set a stick to them, and observe them next year. If the young
plants, runners of last year, be too thick, take some of them away, and
do not leave them nearer than a foot of the scarlet, alpines, and wood,
and fifteen or sixteen inches of all the larger sorts; and in the first
rainy weather in July or August, take them all up, and make a fresh
plantation with them, and they will be very strong plants for flowering
next year. Old beds, even if the plants be kept single at their proper
distance, examine, and pull all the old plants which have not flowered.
When the fruit is nearly all gathered examine them again, and cut off
the runners; but if you want to make a fresh plantation, leave some of
the two first, and cut off all the rest. Then stir up the ground with a
trowel, or three-pronged fork, and in August they will be fit to
transplant. If you have omitted in July do not fail in August, that the
runners may make good roots to be transplanted in September, for, if
later, the worms will draw them out of the ground, and the frost
afterwards will prevent them from striking root; the consequence of
which is, their not flowering the next spri