The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1861-10-22 00:00:00

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HORTICULTURE.

SUCCUSSFUL STRAP BERRI CVLSCRC.—In fulfilment
of my promise, I now ommuunicate to your Journal
• method of growing strawberries, the mod. successful
I have hitherto adopted, and which, I consoler, insures
a crop of extraordinary productiveness at the least
possible expense and trouble. In the preparation of
the ground previous to planting, the usual course of
double trenching and well mixing good rotted manure
is to be decidedly recommended, and the plants to be
net in rowa 30 inches apart in the pring, having been
first planted in a nursery-bed in the previous autumn.
I consider this advisable, becsuoe in the spring any
weak plants may he repotted, and a regularity of plant
recared. NAhing more that season is necessary beyond
omasional watering after planting, and care taken to
clear sway the runners, soil avoid fruiting as 11111C11 as
possible. The zeroed spring after plantisig I recom-
mend, just before the flowers open, a thorough watering
with liquid manure, any two good-sized watering Pot..
to be given to the square yard. Let it be jmured over
the whole surface of the soil, mei as the watering ,
proceeded with let • quantity of bean chaff be ready,
with as much dust in it as comes front the dresaing
tam:bine where the beans are winnowed, remixed with
it. The dust having been separated from the chaff in
the operation of dressing the beams, let the whole sur-
face of the ground have of this mixture at least three
inches in depth applied, and close up to the crown of
the ',lasts. After this let some wheat straw, bean
straw, or clover seed straw (the latter I prefer, as it
is the time sightly), to be cut into one-inch lengths
with • chaff-cutter, and let this be sprinkled on the top
of the been chaff to keep the fruit clean ; and now no
I were watering will be necessary for this season, fur no
storm will penetrate the covering, and no son will
evaporate the miniature. A tremendoue thunderstorm
passed over my bed of strawberries last year, but it did
not percolate through the covering beyond half an
inch, though, of course, it provost beneficial to the
foliage. The chaff I laid on this spring is now decay-
ing into a fine black leaf mould. exciting the strew-
berry roots to increased action, and laying the founda-
tion of increased productiveness for next year. Al-
though my fruit this year was extraordinarily Large. I
anticipate increased luxe next, in consequence of the
benefit to be derived Frain this leaf mould. Iby no
means recommend its application before the winter sets
in, as it might encourage wirewurins and other insects,
but just as the strawberries are getting into bloom.
Probably by some of your readers it may be difficult b.
Procure the bean chaff, bat any one residing in a amigh•
bourlood where beano are grown could easily procure
it of the poser at about 2d per bushel, and who
000ta probably supply him with cut chaff at the None
price. This application may be thought to be rather
expensive, but it must be remembered it is answering
two purposes—doing away with the tronble and cost of
repeated waterinp, at the same time giving a coat ol
manure highly conducive to increased production of
fruit. My attention was first drawn to the stimulating
power of the been chaff by having seen its effect of
mine I had directed to be thrown on a pastnre, which
was surprioing, and which led me to direct its applica-
tion to my strawberry beds. I have now ;ivs..it you as
incisely as is in my power a method which I can
inr ictieally recommend to your readers, and trust that
many who, with myeelf,. have received the most cour-
teous and practical replies to their ilquiries through
your journal, may in return give any infortnation inn
their power which would assiat the conductors, and at
the saute time afford acceptable information to the sub,
scribers to the Journal of Mortice/ture.—A. Gordon,
Crystal Palace.

Two young ladies were on
.Weshiesslar examined at
It.wwtreet on a charge of cheating books in the Strsnd.
Two ClllOl were gone into, and the evidence oatiot,
them was conclusive. Mr. Humphreys, who appeared
on their behalf, admitted that they had committed tln.
robberies, but attributed their dishonesty to a disease
called kleptomania—" a strange and inexplicable desire
to take what does not belong to them." The learned
counsel stated that they moved in a high social position,
the nam,.. situ addreues which they had given to the
police being fictitious. Mr. Henry refused to deal with
the ewe himself, but committed the prisoners r,,r trial
The Surrey magist held a meeting at Kingstonon-Thamea oil Wednesday, when, among other busineav
the chaplain of Wandsworth Gaul made a report 013 the
at At of the inmates, tracing the bulk of the crime that
"nie otolor his obitervotloo to drunkenness, and
iroggeirting means snore otringent than effective, we are
afraid, for the cure of that vice. 0, the extent of the
I evil, however. there cam be no doubt, any snore than
there is oh It,, increase of lunacy, to which it so often
tends. The increase of this malady is so great in the
county that the magistrates, finding their present
asylum, with its sooomniodatrou for 1000 innate=
inattequata, have been driven to oonaider hit. p
of 1110 tens of load tor 64 widitinal esplunt.