lossom. 2. Staminate blossom. 3. Pistillate
blossom.]

The first (1) is perfect; that is, has both the stamens and pistils well
developed: this will produce a fair crop of fruit, without the presence
of any other variety. The second (2) has the stamens large, while the
pistils (the apparently small green strawberry in the centre) are not
sufficiently developed to produce fruit: such plants seldom bear more
than a few imperfectly-formed berries. The third (3) has pistils in
abundance, but is destitute of stamens, and hence, will not bear alone.
The two latter are to be placed near each other, to render them
productive; they may be readily distinguished when in blossom. It is
always safe to cultivate the hermaphrodite plants; that is, those
producing perfect blossoms; but the pistillates and staminates, in due
proportions, produce the largest crops, and finer fruit.

_Soil._--Much has been said against high fertilization with animal
manures, and in favor of vegetable mould only. We feel entirely
satisfied that the largest crops of strawberries are grown on land
highly manured with common barnyard manure. To plant and manure a
strawberry-bed, begin on one side, and dig a trench eighteen inches deep
(from two to three feet is much better) and as wide; put six inches of
common manure in the bottom; dig another trench as deep, and place the
soil upon the manure in the first trench; fill the last with manure as
the first, and so on over the whole plat. Manure the surface lightly
with very fine manure and wood-ashes.

_Transplanting_ is usually better in the month of August. If done at
that season, and it be not too dry, the plants will get such a growth
the same season as to produce quite a good crop of fruit the next
season. Planted as early in the spring as it will do to stir the soil,
they are more sure to grow and yield a very few berries the first
season, and very abundantly the next. If you would cultivate in hills,
put them two feet apart each way; if otherwise, two feet one way, and
one foot the other. Cut off the roots to two or three inches in length,
and remove all the dead leaves; dip them in mud, which is a great means
of causing them to grow; and set them in fine mould, the crown one inch
below the level of the soil around, and leave it in a slight basin, and
water it, unless the weather be damp. Many plants are lost from not
being set low enough to escape drought. The basin will hold water, and
nearly every p