Customers on receiving Strawberry plants should care for them immediately. If the ground on which they are to be set is not in condition to receive them, they should be heeled into the ground at once in a shady, moist place, instead of allowing them to remain in the package for several days, as is often done. Expensive plants should be put in single and with care; not in bunches. If possible, however, the soil should be ready for the plants before they arrive, so that they can be set at once in the place intended for them. In case of extreme drought it is advisable to wait for rain and set later, rather than to run the risk of losing plants. If set in warm, dry weather, the roots should be dipped in a muddle just before setting, taking care to have the crown of the plant even with the surface of the ground when set, and having the soil pressed firmly around the plant; after setting, the plants should be mulched in dry weather, with coarse litter or berry baskets or boxes. Keep the soil in good cultivation until the ground freezes, and then mulch the whole surface over with coarse manure, hay or straw, or whatever is most convenient. In the spring this mulch should be partially removed, loosened or adjusted so as to let the plants grow through.

The mulch in spring and summer will help keep the weeds down, protect the berries from dirt during the fruiting season, and help hold the moisture in the soil in case of drought. A little extra care at the right time will often prevent loss of plants, and bring a large increase of profit for the expenditure. Middlefteld, Conn.