294 Eeport of the Horticulturist of the 



PKOPAGATIOE. 



Yarieties of currants do not reproduce themselves true from seed 

 and so when it is desired to increase the number of plants of a 

 variety it must be done bj division of the plant in some way. Some- 

 times this is done in a small way by separating rooted canes from an 

 old plant. In the nurseries, however, currants are propagated 

 either by layers or by cuttings, the latter method being more com- 

 monly pr'acticed. 



Propagation by Cuttings. 



Currants grow very readily from cuttings of young canes of a 

 season's growth. The cuttings may be made as soon as the wood is 

 ripe and hard, which in this section is usually after the first of 

 October, and set at once in nursery rows. Currant bushes that are 

 sprayed and well cared for may hold their foliage till November, and 

 so need to be stripped of leaves when the cuttings are made. It is 

 thought that cuttings from ripe, hard currant wood, root more 

 readily and give a larger percentage of plants than do cuttings from 

 immature wood. Sometimes it happens that the currants lose their 

 leaves by leaf blight very early in autumn. In such instances the 

 growth practically ceases and cuttings may be made at any time 

 thereafter when it is convenient. 



Many nurserymen make the cuttiiigs early in the fall even when 

 it is necessary to strip the leaves from the canes. They do this not 

 because they think the immature wood is better than well ripened 

 wood for cuttings, but because it is convenient to do the w^ork then, 

 so as to have it out of the way before the rush of work that comes 

 with the fall delivery season. Then, too, wdien the cuttings are 

 made and planted early in the fall and the weather proves favorable, 

 they begin to root before winter sets in and so are ready to start at 

 once into growth when spring opens. This insures a long season 

 for growth and favors the production of stronger one-year plants 

 than can be grown from cuttings set in the spring. 



Spring Setting. — If the cuttings are not to be set out till spring 

 they are tied in bunches, properly labeled and buried in a pit in well 

 drained soil and covered about six inches deep with earth. The 

 bunches are set in the pit with the butts upwards so as to keep the 

 top buds dormant till the cuttings are planted. They may be set as 

 soon as the ground is lit to work in the spring, but it frequently 



