CULTURE OF CELEKT. 163 



kept short, never attaining a greater height than two or three feet. The bushes being 

 low, with well-thinned-out and shortened branches, they shade little or none of the 

 ground, and are cropped up to the bush. These strong manured and well pruned 

 trees produce magnificent fruit, and in great abundance, well remunerating the market 

 gardener for his trouble.* 



What will the advocates of no pruning say to this ? Yet the Currant, like the for- 

 eign Grape, must be pruned, and pruned severely, if fine fruit is wanted. The Black 

 Currant will not submit to this treatment, bearing as it does on the young wood. 

 The latter must be thinned out, and when over-long, moderately shortened. The 

 pruning must be varied to suit the age and vigor of the tree. 



There are many soils in which the White Currant will not grow — ground to all 

 appearance of the best description, and in which the other Currants grow finely: yet 

 in these soils White Currants will scarcely live — grow they v.ill not — showing there 

 is something wanting in the soil necessary for the well-being of the plant. Perhaps 

 chemistry could step in to our aid, and tell us what this essential is. Again we meet 

 with soils where the Whites vie in vigor with the Reds — ground which may be to 

 appearance no better than the other. In a general way, it is more particular to soil 

 than either Reds or Blacks, which will grow in almost any.f 



THE CULTURE OF CELERY. 



BY WILLIAM CnORLTON, NEW BRIGnTON, STATEN ISLAND. 



Celerv has become so generally admired a vegetable, that a large supply both for 

 market and likewise in every private horticultural establishment, is now an indispens- 

 able necessity. This suDply is to some extent furnished according to the continually 

 increasing demand; but like many other things of a similar character, the quality does 

 not improve with quantity. W^e have ample demonstration of this fact in the poor 

 samples which make up the aggregate bulk in each and every green-grocer's stall. 

 The ready sale and remunerating prices for the greatest number, seems so far to have 

 eclipsed the idea of good culture. The requisite care, more ample space, and increased 

 expense of a given quantity, have no doubt counteracted against improvement. 



Now, whether this has been or is likely to continue to be a wise policy, is easily 

 proved. At present, the common custom is to tie three and sometimes four heads 

 into one bunch ; and the whole of this bundle does not contain more eatable substance 

 than any ordinary family would consume at one meal, the imperfectly blanched por- 

 tion of each being not more than a foot, and sometimes only six inches in length, with 

 correspondingly small size, — tough, bitter, and imwholesome, each head weighing 

 from a half to three-fourths of a pound. This is about a fair average standard. It is 



♦ Close pruning and high manuring agrees with the Currant just as well in America as in England. — Ed, 

 + According to our experience the Black Currants require more moisture than either the Red or W'hite 

 form immense masses of small, fibrous roots, like the Ash, which absorb moisture like a sponge.— Ed. 



