I 



STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. Ill 



Plants are grown from cuttings six to eight inches h)ng of one- 

 ear-old wood, taken at any time after growth is made for the season 

 efore swelling of the buds in spring. As early as convenient in the 

 fall is (leemed the hest time, as the end becomes calloused jjrejiaratory 

 to sending out roots on opening of the ground in spring. Fine plants 

 for planting out permanently are thus grown in one year. 



Before winter weather the surface of the ground is covered with 

 a heavy dressing of well-rotted manure, and this, with leaves, prairie 

 hay, or straw, as protection from severe freezing, is to be removed 

 early in the spring. Should any of the cuttings be raised by frost 

 a trusty hand presses them firmly l)ack. 



Instead of digging trenches with a spade for planting, we open 

 a furrow with a mold-board plow, turning it slightly to the landside; 

 cuttings are pressed in, furrow half filled with dirt, which is tramped 

 firmly, then fill in balance of furrow, leaving but here and there the 

 tip of a cutting to be seen. 



Good results have been attained by wintering cuttings in cellar, 

 standing them upright in sand a little moist, and planted early in 

 spring. Some thirty years since a lot of twenty thousand were set 

 in .January, no protection given, with good results. 



Hows" of currants six feet apart, four feet in the row, are good 

 distances for bearing plants. Vegetables may be grown betAveen 

 them for a couple of years. Gooseberries need less space: say five 

 feet between rows. 13oth require clean cultivation. Mulch heavily 

 before hot weather. Partial shade, or shade part of the day is bene- 

 ficial. A northern slope in this latitude desirable. Soil suitable for 

 corn, with a liberal a])]dication of well-rotted manure annually. 

 While young little ])ruuing is required, after which a renewal of 

 young wood must be kei)t up by removing, in the fall or early spring, 

 part of the old wood. Some of the young growth nuiy be used for 

 cuttings. 



Of over twenty-five varieties of currants proved the following 

 are retained: Red aiid White Dutch, White Grape, Victoria, Cherry, 

 Long Bunch Holland, and Black Na]des. On trial, with hopes they 

 nuiy prove desiral)le: La \'ersailles. Fay's Prolific, Fertile i) Angers, 

 and Stewart. Our favorites are Black Naples for jam, and Victoria 

 and White Grape. 



Houghton and American Seedling gooseberries are enormously 

 productive, but not more so than the Downing, which is twice their 

 size, at least their equal in quality, and the bush more upright in 

 growth. Mountain Seedling, after ten years' trial, rejected for un- 

 fruitfulness and poor quality. English varieties generally ]niMew so 

 badly as to render them of no value. Occasionally a green variety 

 has been grown in various parts of our State, of large size, good 

 quality, and generally free of or affected but little with mildew. 



Insects seldom damage these fruits or ])lants here. The currant 

 worm, it is said, may be destroyed by dusting the })lants with pow- 

 dered white hellebore. Have never had to fight him. 



