CHE REFERENCE LIBRARY - Pole Shift Survival Information

THE NURSERY-LIST 425
the young plants to obtain a foothold. Plants strong enough for sett,ing
are obt,ained in Augllst and Septernljer of the same year in which
they start. Ordinarily, the runners will t,ake root without artificial
aid ; but in hard soils, or with new or scarce varieties, the joints are
sometimes held down with a pebble or bit. of earth, or are bedded in
the tips inserted into the ground - with a trowel. The runners
r rom x bed that has borne fruit are not, likely to be as vigorous and
desirable as rumlers from maiden p1ant.s _ those that have not yet
fruited. Nrsw \-ariet.ies are often propaga.ted throughout the season
from plants that are highly cultivated, and which are not allowed.
to fruit,. In commercial propagation, the ratio of increase of diflerent
varieties is from fifteen to forty strong runners from one plant
set in the-l spring. I’ery strong plants are obtained by growing them
in pots. :I S-inch pot is sunk below the runner, prefera,bly one from
a maiden plant, and the joint is held upon it by a stone or clod.
The runner is then pinched OR, to prevent further growth, and to
throw all its energy into the ow plant. The pot should be filled with
soft rich earth. Shouldered pots are best, because they can be
raised more easily than others, by catching the spade or trowel
under the shoulder. The plants will fill the pots in three or four
weeks, if the weather is favorable. Old tin fruit-cans, which have
been heated to remove the bottoms, old berry boxes and small
squares of in\-erted sod ca.n a,lso be used.
(‘uttings of the tips of runners are sometimes made and handled
in R franit‘, as an ;kdditional means of rapidly- increasing new kinds.
These cuttings rn:iy by the cast-away tips left from the heading-in
or checking of the runners.
Propagation by. clivitiion of the old crown is practiced only to
save the stock of a rare variety that is threatened with extinction
and with varieties that make few or no runners, as the bush Alpines
and Pan-American.
For forcing strawberries under glass, the first strong runners of
the sea,son are rooted in 2- inch or 3-inc;+ pots plunged under them,
being sure that the pots contain soil of prime quality. As soon as
the pots are filled with roots they are lifted, and the plants are
transferrccl to the G-inch pots in lvhich they are to fruit. These
fruiting pots ar’c then plunged to the rim in coal ashes or other
material t-hat will maintain uniform condit.ions in the pot and yet
not all(i\V tlW l)lant. L; to root through the bot,tom. The plants
shoultl btb ~11 rootor ill that pots, and with strong crowns, whqn
ripened in fail, preparatory to the winter forcing. -