Strawberries in bloom are very easily injured by a high temperature from fire-heat and by cold currents of air, and both conditions must be avoided. Keep the temperature about 55° at night till they are set, when it may be raised to 60°. Those that are set and swelling off may have the temperature increased from 60° to 65°, according to the weather. These will now take more water, and every second watering may be with manure-water, until they begin to colour. Introduce succession-batches of plants into heat. Peach-houses or vineries now being started suit the starting of Strawberries also where no regular Strawberry-pits exist. Keep the plants near the light. Look out for green-fly on all that have been heated for a time, and fumigate with tobacco when it first appears. Do not fumigate when the plants are in bloom.

Strawberries In Pots Forcing #1

Thin off all abortive blooms and small deformed fruits on those swelling their fruit. Let them have a night temperature of 65°. Syringe twice or thrice weekly on fine days, and give air freely in the early part of the day. When they are in bloom, range the temperature from 55° to 60°, and give air more or less every day, but avoid exposing them to currents of frosty air. Put more plants into heat every ten or fourteen days, according to stock and space. See that in all stages they are not allowed to become over-dry at the root.

Strawberries In Pots Forcing #2

See former Calendars. Introduce more plants into heat, and give to those from which all the fruit are gathered the shelter of a cold frame, to be well hardened off before being planted out.

Strawberries In Pots Forcing #3

When it is necessary to retard ripening crops, place them in cold pits, and give plenty of air night and day. Red-spider is frequently very troublesome after the beginning of this month, and the plants should be syringed to prevent it until the fruit begin to colour. The remainder of the stock can now be brought forward in cold pits and frames to keep up the supply till the outdoor crops ripen. All plants from which the fruit is gathered harden off previous to being planted out.

Strawberries In Pots Forcing #4

Any portion of these yet to ripen will now do best in cold pits where there is nothing but sun-heat. Plant out all those from which the fruit are gathered for next year's bearing outdoors. As soon as ever runners can be had for laying for next year's forcing, let the operation be pro-ceeded with. For early forcing we always liked to see them in their fruiting-pots the first week of July. Either lay them in 3-inch pots at once, or in a layer of rich soil laid between the rows, where such is convenient. Those intended for early forcing should not be put into such large pots as those intended for successional or later supplies; and the soil for the earliest should be a degree lighter than in the case of the later crops.

Strawberries In Pots Forcing #5

All young layers that are well rooted should be shifted into their fruitiug-pots without delay. For early forcing these are the better of being in their fruiting-pots the first week of this month; 5 and 6 inch pots are large enough. Use a rather strong loam, with about a third of well-decayed manure. After potting them, place them in a warm, sheltered place, on coal-ashes or boards, so that worms cannot molest them. In warm dry localities it is a good plan to plunge the pots of those in smaller pots. Give them plenty of room to develop their leaves properly, keep them free of weeds and runners, and give them a good supply of water. If the necessary stock of plants have not all been layered, no time should now be lost.

Strawberries In Pots Forcing #6

If the weather is dry, those that were shifted early into their fruiting-pots will require careful attention in the way of watering. Be sure that they are supplied with sufficient to wet the whole ball. Occasional watering with guano-or dung-water will now be beneficial, especially to those in small pots. Remove all runners as they appear; keep them free from weeds, and see that they do not get crowded. If standing on ashes, and the roots are leaving the pots, lift them and rub off the roots that have left the pots. It is best to have them on boards or trellis-work, to prevent them rooting through.

Strawberries In Pots Forcing #7

Still continue to prevent these from rooting through their pots into the material they are standing on. Keep them free from runners and weeds, and water with manure-water. If they are at all crowded give them more room, so that light and air can play freely about their foliage and crowns.

Strawberries In Pots Forcing #8

These should now have their pots well filled with roots, and the crowns strong and matured. Protect the plants from heavy rains, either by placing them in cold frames or pits, or by laying the pots on their sides with the crowns to the south, until such time as they can be placed in winter quarters. Any late plants may be placed under glass, where they will complete their growth better than in the open air.

Strawberries In Pots Forcing #9

Protect these from heavy rains; an orchard-house or Peach-house, where they will not be exposed to severe frosts, or cold frames, are good places for wintering them; but where such quarters cannot be afforded them, stack them by laying them on their sides, packing about the pots with sawdust or ashes in the form of a Potato-pit - the crowns outwards of course. In this way they can be protected when necessary with straw or mats.

Strawberries In Pots Forcing #10

Where vineries and Peach-houses are being started now, Strawberries may be placed on shelves near the glass. But a better place for starting them thus early is on a gentle hot-bed of leaves or tan near the glass in some light pit. Before they are put in heat, see that the drainage of each plant is correct, that the pots are clean, and that there are no worms in the soil. Protect the general stock of plants from severe frost and heavy rains.