PROCEEDINGS OF THE WINTER MEETING. 20 



Among the many varieties of currant and gooseberry, comparatively 

 few kinds should be chosen for a money-making plantation. Of currants 

 we find a great difference in varieties in ability to resist the borer. The 

 ■difference consists in the greater robustness of growth and harder wood 

 and smaller pith which some varieties possess. By selecting these vari- 

 eties, which fortunately are among the most prolific bearers, the dreaded 

 borer will be able to make but little impression on the plantation. I give 

 a list of four varieties which a. somewhat extensive experience has proved 

 most profitable with us in the order named: London Red, Victoria, 

 Prince Albert, and Long-bunch Holland. The last two are extremely 

 late and the picking of them can be deferred until the height of the 

 season is over, often bringing a better price than the earlier varieties. 

 Both white and black currants we have discarded as unprofitable, though 

 if we could get a strain of blacks that would bear, there would be money 

 in it, as the price is usually higher than for the reds. 



The red currant bears its fruit on spurs which are the more numerous 

 at or near the junction of the wood of different years' growth, which fact 

 should be borne in mind while trimming. If the new growth is cut back 

 each year to within three inches of the old wood, the bush will be found 

 plentifully supplied with fruit spurs throughout the entire length of the 

 canes, and will be in shape to bear a maximum crop. As to the suckers 

 that start from below the surface of the ground, they should be removed 

 each year unless required to form a new bush, as sometimes happens 

 when the old stem becomes injured or broken off. Some growers destroy 

 the suckering habit by cutting the suckers on the young bush close to the 

 main by using a thin chisel. We prefer, however, to have the suckers for 

 the reason above mentioned. 



The only gooseberries we have raised to any extent as yet are the 

 Downing and Houghton, both reliable and prolific varieties. Most 

 growers j^refer the Downing on account of large size and fine appear- 

 ance. Our experience, however, leads to the conclusion that Houghton 

 is fully as profitable a berry, all things considered, as the spines are 

 more tiexible and the skin tougher, two qualities which will be appreci- 

 ated when harvesting, for in the case of Houghton the berries are easily 

 stripped from the canes with no danger of bruising and are then passed 

 through a fanning-mill to clean out the small berries and leaves. 



The insect enemies and fungous diseases of currants and gooseberries 

 are easily combatted — if we except the borer which, as stated' above, we 

 can afford to ignore if the proper varieties are planted. The green worm 

 that appears early in the season is easily destroyed by spraying with 

 hellebore or a weak Paris green mixture, hellebore being preferable if a 

 good article can be obtained. But the quality of this drug can not always 

 be relied upon, and recourse must then be had to Paris green. We think 

 it pays to use the Bordeaux mixture in connection with the insect 

 poisons as a preventive of the leaf fungus, which sometimes causes 

 August leaf-dropping. 



Our experience would lead us to recommend the following practice, of 

 course modified by the necessary variation to suit soil and circumstances: 

 Secure your trees and prepare the soil in the fall and plant as soon as the 

 frost is out in the spring. Plant in the row eight feet apart and four 



