The following is the best way that I know, of cultivating the strawberry in our favorable soil:

Select, in the early spring, a rich deep mellow, gravelly loam, if possible, in rather low moist ground, with a good exposure to the sun. Then spade it full a spade deep, repeatedly, on the first of every month until July, when the ground will have become thoroughly broken up and mellow, and also the danger of the earth packing and becoming hard, will mainly have past. After breaking up the ground well on the 1st July, and levelling off the soil instead of raising it into beds, then immediately set out the strawberry plants, two in a stool, 18 to 24 inches apart. Then mulch, forthwith, the whole ground, including the walk, with an inch and a-half deep of old tan-bark, saw-dust or well rotted manure; but I would carefully prevent any barn-yard manure, or even ashes, becoming incorporated in the soil previously or at this time. Next I would thoroughly water them, and keep them sufficiently watered to insure a constant and vigorous growth, which is not a task if well mulched. After this, the occasional pulling of a very few weeds, that find their way through the mulching, and a slight coating of leaves and straw on the approach of winter, is all the care I would give them, until the opening of the following spring, when I pursue the following process:

On removing the coating on the opening of spring, I fertilize the plants with a liberal sprinkling of a solution of 1/4 lb. each of sulphate of pottassium, glauber salts, and sal soda, and one ounce of muriate ammonia, to eight gallons water, and continue this once in a week or ten days until they blossom, when I give them pure cold water till they ripen, when I discontinue all applications. I do not say my combination of fertilizers cannot be improved, but it proves efficient enough with me until I learn of a better one.

If not couvenient, I do not break up the ground until the 1st July, when I plant out; although I think it better not to allow the ground to be occupied the previous part of the season, and to be frequently stirred. I prefer, all things considered, the 1st to 10th July for planting out, for the reason the soil does not bake so hard as if set out in spring, and at this season I can secure the largest crop next June. If the setting out is delayed till August, I can only depend on half a crop, and only a quarter if delayed till September.

By this plan, it will be seen, I avoid all trouble in forking over the ground in the fall or spring - I do not find it necessary.

Although so many succeed unsatisfactorily in raising strawberries, yet I know of no fruit raised in this climate on which I can, with such confidence, rely for a certain and regular large crop as by this plan, with good varieties - only amateurs who wish to raise remarkably fine fruit may choose to take so much pains as the whole process here laid down involves, yet what is worth doing at all, is generally worth doing well.

I will not presume to say that this plan is perfect, or is the best. Other soils and climate may demand sonic modification, yet after examining a large number of grounds for years past, and listening to, or reading the mode of procedure of a large number of the most successful cultivators, I have summed them all up, and prefer the above to all others which has come to my knowledge. Every cultivator has his own best way to accomplish the object, and yet, perchance, all have much to learn from the experience or observation of others. R. G. P.

Palmura N. Y Nov 1851