The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-07-19 00:00:00

CULTIVATION OF THE STRAWBERRY.

The late copious showers have produced runners in abun-
dance ; and the seaso* approaches when many persons com-
mence planting the different approved varieties, with a view
to form new beds. Experience has instructed us on this
point, and shown that it is now the worst time of the whole
year for the purpose, because those tender, half-rooted offsets,
if disturbed, will fail to take hold of the soil, in almost every
instance, if dry weather succeed ; and equally so, in fact, be
the weather what it may, unless the ground be of that peculiar
quality and in the condition which exactly . suit the plants.
Hundreds of runners are bought at a price varying from 18d.
to perhaps 205., or more, per hundred—not one tithe of which
remain alive at the end of a week.

But while we unhesitatingly condemn this unwise mode of
proceeding, we can point out a method by which success is
assured—one which is equally applicable to the formation of
beds and rows in the garden, and to the preparation of potted
plants for forcing.
Keen's seedling and the old pine are the best varieties yet
known for all ordinary uses. The Downton and Elton, both
raised by the late Mr. Knight, are valuable as successions—
the latter particularly being very late in its season. Single
rows of each ought to be prepared in every good garden, for
the purpose of propagation, as they offer great facilities for
the work. A space of clear ground, two feet wide, on each
side of the row, should be reserved—over which the best
runners should be laid right and left, and one young plant
upon each should be permitted to fix itself in the soil. A
number of the pots, of the size called large sixty, being ready,
should be let into the soil by the planting trowel, one for
each strong young plant, and filled with the earth. This
done, the runner plant is to be raised by the point of the
trowel, with as much earth adhering to its root as it will
bring up, and transferred to one of the pots—it is to be fixed
in the soil therein, and held down by a stone placed over the
string near its junction with the runner plant. The plant
will thus continue to be nourished by the parent, through the
vascular channels of the cord, and the process of independent
rooting will proceed as it did before the operation. Pots so
prepared will be full of roots in a few weeks, and then may
be lifted, the runners divided, and the plants transferred to
beds, borders, or larger pots, according to the object of the
gardener.
Nothing is to be effected without time, contrivance, and
trouble, but herein they are not bestowed upon " that which
profiteth not." On the contrary, the plants so raised are in
a condition to grow immediately ; and few fail, if gentle
waterings be given once or twice in the absence of showers.
The London market gardeners plant in rows, about two
feet asunder, and place clean litter over the soil. Thus the
fruit is preserved from dirt, and the gardeners and gatherers
can walk between the rosts., of the extensive plantations,
without doing injury to anything. In private gardens we see
reason to form only narrow beds, three feet wide, and of any
convenient length, four rows in a bed, the plants six or eight
inches apart. Prepare the ground by trenching two feet
deep, and incorporate sound vegetable mould with the earth.
Do the work early in September, keep the ground perfectly
free from weeds, throw light soil, mixed with the best reduced
dung, over the bed in December, so as to fill up every hollow
close-around the collars of all the plants. In March cut off
the withered old leaves, and rake the surface with a wooden
rake. If any blossoms appear cut them away, and do not
suffer the plantation to have any fruit in the first year. Pre-
pare a second bed in the same way, and treat it in every
respect as the first was treated. Permit that bed to bear a
full crop in the second year, and the product will demonstrate
the value of this mode of proceeding. A third bed will com-
plete the succession, and at the same time the second will
come into bearing.
The first bed may then be destroyed, and replanted, after
deep digging and manuring. Lay mowings of grass among
the plants that bear fruit, to preserve the trusses from being
splashed. The directions above given comprise the routine
of a mode of planting which is calculated to produce the best
fruit in abundance ; and the amateur gardener would do well
to try it carefully. Our objection to long angle rows is that
they occupy much room, and the fruit is rarely, if ever, pre-
served from dirt and mutilation. A plot formed as directed
takes up little space, and is renewed without inconvenience.

THE CHARTISTS.—A respectable correspondent has sent
us what follows as another instance of the folly of listening
to these miscreants : the names of the parties concerned are,
for very obvious reasons, suppressed. A married woman,
whose husband had gone abroad, leaving with her a consi-
derable portion of his earnings, had very prudently deposited
them in the savings bank ; but having foolishly adopted the
belief propagated by the chartists and their followers, that
the money was not safe here, she withdrew the whole of it,
about £250. After keeping it at home for some days, she
became fearful of being robbed, and was sadly perplexed as
to what to do with it. At length she resolved to give it for
a little while into the keeping of a neighbour, a very respect-
able honest man, as she supposed; and so locking it up in a
box she waited on him and requested him to become her
treasurer, which he readily consented to do.. Soon after, her
fears were again excited by a rumour that this. person was
about to emigrate with his family ; but on questioning him on
the subject he denied it, and she felt satisfied. In a few
days, however, the gentleman was really missing ; and then
the owner of the box went to his wife and demanded its re-
turn. It was instantly delivered to her ; when she observed
that it handled light, and well it might—for on being opened
it was found to be eased of its couteuts.--Cbritwal/ Gazak.

VESSELS ENTERED FOR LOADING.

(SINCE OUR LAST PUBLICATION.)

CHINA

Aden, H Ponsoriby, 339 Canton, Brocklebanks or Brodie
EAST INDIES, CAPE OF GOOD HOPE, Sec.
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London, A Adamson, 351 Calcutta, T & J Brocklebank
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