296 Report of the Horticulturist op the 



Propagation by Layers. 



"When currants are grown from layers the old plants, called stools, 

 are headed back so that they may send out numerous branches close 

 to the ground. When the wood of the new growth has become 

 somewhat hardened, in this section in June, the soil is thrown over 

 the base of the new shoots a few inches deep so as to induce the 

 formation of roots. In the fall the earth is drawn away from the 

 stools, and the rooted shoots are cut oif, leaving good eyes or buds 

 on the stools from which to grow another crop of shoots the follow- 

 ing season. The rooted shoots may either be planted in nursery row 

 at once or kept till spring before planting. The cultivation and 

 pruning is the same as that already described for cuttings. 



Propagation From Seed. 



Curi-ants may be propagated from seed but each plant thus se- 

 cured is a new variety and the chances are that it will be in- 

 ferior to the standard sorts already in cultivation. Some persons, 

 however, take an interest in raising currants from seed with the 

 hope of securing something worth introducing as a new variety. 

 In some cases where this work has been done in an intelligent and 

 systematic way, encouraging results are being secured as is shown by 

 the promising seedlings that have been sent to this Station for test- 

 ing in recent years. Brief accounts of some of these new kinds, 

 together with illustrations of the fruit have been given on preced- 

 ing pages. 



The following method of growing currants from seed has been 

 employed at this Station : As soon as the fruit is ripe the seed is 

 separated from the pulp and planted in shallow, well drained boxes. 

 The boxes are set in open frames and allowed to remain unprotected 

 till the following spring. The seeds begin to germinate rather early 

 in the spring. The boxes are then weeded and watered if necessary 

 to keep the seedlings in good growing condition. When the seed- 

 lings are three or four inches high they are transplanted to an open 

 frame or bed where they can be easily cared for during the rest of 

 the season. The following season they are set in permanent position 

 in field or garden. If they are being grown in large numbers it 

 would be better to transplant them from the boxes to beds and the 

 following year grow them in nursery rows thus having the plants 

 two years old before setting them in permanent position for fruiting. 



