I would
therefore advise that under this system a new bed be made, as
described, every third year; for, it should be remembered, the new
bed is unproductive the first year. This should never be forgotten
if one would maintain a continuous supply of berries, otherwise he
will be like those born on the 29th of February, and have only
occasional birthdays.
If the old bed is just where you wish, and has been prepared in
the thorough manner described, it can be renewed in the following
manner: When the old plants begin to decline in vigor--say the
third or fourth spring--a line of well-decayed compost and manure
from the cow-stable a foot wide may be spread thickly down between
the rows, dug under deeply, and young plants set out just over the
fertilizer. The old plants can be treated as has already been
described, and as soon as they are through bearing, dug under.
This would leave the young plants in full possession of the
ground, and the cultivation and management for three or more years
would go on as already directed. This course involves no loss of
time or change of ground for a long periods. If, however, a new
bed can be made somewhere else, the plants will thrive better upon
it. Unless there are serious objections, a change of ground is
always advantageous; for no matter how lavishly the plot is
enriched, the strawberry appears to exhaust certain required
constituents in the soil.
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