The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1852-04-01

vines a working with the hoe. This
done, dig IN with fork a slight dress
ing ofwen-rotted manure or compost, a
few inches in depth, say about A /; rake
the ground, and leave it thus till, when
long straw or tanners bark or both
must be replaced between the rows.
The treatment, each succeeding year,
must be as before advised with the ex-
ception, that the runners must be per-
mitted to grow the fourth year to supply
the plants for setting out new bed, as
the power of yielding fruit, abundantly,
only lasts four years. Indeed, they
begin to decrease after the second year.
Some permit the runners to root the
third year, place manure on the old
vines, dig them in, and rake, leaving the
rooted runners to form the bed of straw
berries the ensuing three years. If
pains be taken to give proper direction
to the runners, in roofing, this plan saves
the labor of transplanting and answers
very well during one course. In man
uring, ashes must not be forgotten in
the compost, as the inorganic as we'll as
the organic matters carried off by the
crops of fruit, must be restored to the
soil.
1t would be best, however, to form
new strawberry beds every fourth year.
CHOICE OF VARIETIEs.-Where there
are SO many varieties of the same fruit,
it is difficult matter to make such
selection as will please all. Those
which are grown in this market, mainly
for sale, arc the Large Early Scarlet,
and the Large Pineapple, both are fine
ly favored, oflarge size, and productive !;
but we doubt much, if there be in the
whole catalogue of this fruit, one variety
of such exquisite, luscious flavor as the
Early Virginia Scarlet, or one which,
with cream and loaf sugar, as accompa-
niments, has half as many admirers it
is hardy, fruitful, and none the worse for
being an old and well established variety
and for having been improved by re-
clamation and culture. Horey's Seed
ling, form it's immense size, has great
popularity, and bears well when grown
in the vicinity of male variety. If
this variety be cultivated, about every
fourth or fifth row of plants should be of
some staminate sort, to carry on neces-
sary work of formulation.
With the above varieties before him,
no farmer need hesitate, if his garden is
not already provided, to select and set
out bed; but as the garden is the
rightful domain of his lady, we may be
permitted to request of her-that, if
there be no strawberries in her garden,
to see that SO radical an omission in It's
appointments, be at once filled up.
With respect to the spring treatment
of strawberry beds, we viii state what
we consider good practice. In the
early part of March, if the weather
be dry, select day with moderate
breeze fork up the old straw to be
dried by the sun and air, spread it reg
ularly over the bed; if the quantity is
not sufficient to cover it, add more straw,
set fire to it. Thus you will get rid of
dead leaves, and dead weeds and their
seeds, in few minutes When the
strawberry plants spring up, hoe and
dress them with a compost, strew mix
ture of salt, ashes and plaster over them,
cover the interval between the vines with
straw, and cultivate as we have before
laid down.
sS In the management of your
Strawberry beds reccllect this truth
weeds, and grass should never be per-
mitted to grow in them.