THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 



31 



so well for fences and wires because 

 of their going out of leaf very early, 

 and being at all times unattractive, 

 except when loaded with fruit. But 

 on a sunny wall or paling they ripen 

 very earlj^ and require only the re- 

 moval of breastwood and the pruning 

 already described for the formation 

 of fruit-buds. These are quite un- 

 suited for any fanciful modes of train- 

 ing, and it is waste of time to attempt 

 to do anything more with them than 

 form compact heads, open in the 

 centre, on clean stems, free of suckers. 

 Standards. — Black currants are 

 not adapted to form standards, but 

 red and white standard currants make 

 very interesting objects for the fruit 

 garden, and in places closely walled 

 in the standard form is the best to 

 insure fruitfulness. To grow them, 

 select straight strong cuttings, and 

 leave only three buds at the top of 

 each. Put a straight stake to each, 

 and as the top shoot advances, tie it 

 loosely to the stake, to prevent it 

 taking the semicircular form common 

 to the summer shoots of the currant- 

 tree. When the top shoot lias got 

 the lead, cut back the other shoots to 

 within three inches of the stem, and 

 allow the leader to go iip to four or 

 five feet, and then nip out the top 

 bud. The next autumn cut away all 

 side-branches, close to the stem. Tiie 

 following spring the main stem will 

 throw out shoots in abundance ; nip 

 them all back except the three best 

 placed, and at pretty nearly ec[ual 

 distances apart at the top. Keep 



nipping back the side-shoots all the 

 season, but allow the three or four 

 chosen to form the head grow their 

 full length. The next autumn cut 

 away all the side-branches, and 

 shorten back the branches of the head 

 to four eyes each. After this, prune 

 as advised before, and never allow 

 any shoots on the stem. Standards 

 will re'^uire to be secu -ely staked to 

 prevent damage by wind. 



Selection of Varieties. 



For Gardens exposed to the East, 

 and for Cold Clai/ Soils. — Ogden's 

 Black, a very hardy black currant, 

 bearing fine berries; Red Dutch, 

 red ; La Fertile, very prolific ; White 

 Dutch. 



For Gardens favourably situated, 

 and toitli good Loamy Soils. — Black 

 Naples, the finest black currant ; 

 Cherry, the largest red, very early ; 

 La Hative, very early and fine, red ; 

 Knight's Large Red, large bunches 

 and fine berries ; Victoria, a fine late 

 red, useful to grow on north walls, 

 to keep netted for use in autumn; 

 Transparent White, long bunches, 

 amber-coloured berries ; White 

 Dutch, excellent and well known. 



The only way to secure currants 

 from the depredations of birds is to 

 cover the trees with cheap netting. 

 This is better than abusing or killing 

 the birds. It is certain they do de- 

 vastate the crop if allowed ; but we 

 want their services in other ways to 

 keep down the vermin, so killing is 

 bad practice. 



A WINTER GAELAND.— CLIMATE OF TOEQUAT. 



We have frequently published stray 

 notes on the climate of the south-west 

 of England, and from correspondents 

 there have occasionally received re- 

 markable evidences of the compara- 

 tive immunity from cold enjoyed by 

 the counties of Dorset. Devon, and 

 Cornwall, where the full influence of 

 the gulf stream is felt, and the whole 

 breadth of the island at' its widest 

 part is interposed to break the force 

 and temper the keenness of the east 

 winds so prevalent during the early 

 months of the year. But we never 



had such agreeable evidences of the 

 favourable circumstances under which 

 horticulture may be pursued in Devon 

 as we have had this year. On Christ- 

 mas morning we received from our 

 esteemed correspondent, A. B. Shep- 

 pard, Esq., of Torquay, a large box 

 of most beautiful flowers, all gathered 

 in the open air from one of the hills 

 of Torquay on the day previous. We 

 shall cheerfully forgive any reader 

 who doubts the accuracy of the list, 

 for to Londoners and those farther 

 north it will, we are sure, look more 



