HORTICULTUKAL SOCIETY. 51 



docks, along a stone wall or even a rail fence. They want the open 

 field with plenty of air and sunlight. The better the culture, the 

 better the fruit, and the better the fruit, the larger the market 

 price, and the difference between $2 and $4 per bushel is the extra 

 margin, which the careful grower gets for his good work. 



A currant plantation does not arrive at full bearing till the fifth 

 year from setting and does not require much trimming till the third 

 year and then only, such branches are to be removed as is need- 

 ful to give the bush a comely form. The size of the fruit may be 

 much improved by removing in June a considerable portion of the 

 new shoots that spring up from the roots — enough, however, should 

 be left to furnish a proper supply of bearing canes, and it should 

 be borne in mind that the new canes do not produce much, if any 

 fruit until they are two years old. By removing a portion of the 

 new growth, more air and light is admitted and the vital force of 

 the plant is directed more to the fruit and less to the making of 

 new wood. 



The currant is a great feeder, and as it is naturally inclined to 

 produce a large crop every year; it requires constantly a liberal 

 supply of fertilizing material to keep up the vigor of the plant. 

 Nothing is better for this purpose than a generous amount of stable 

 manure supplemented by a few quarts of wood ashes to each. This 

 matter of furnishing a good supply of plant food should be con- 

 scientiously attended to every year, or the grower will find that he 

 will be punished with poor fruit and little of it. There is no dan- 

 ger of over-feeding the currant. With my little plantation I fre- 

 quently make a compost of the droppings of my chicken-house 

 with muck, and apply about the bushes. With regard to trimming, 

 good practical judgment is important in deciding what old wood 

 should be taken out and how much new should be left. 



As I have before said, little trimming will be necessary till the 

 fifth year, at least none of the old wood will need to be removed 

 before that time. When currant bushes are treated with a liberal 

 supply of manure, there will be a great tendency to send up new 

 shoots from the roots, and enough of these should be removed to 

 secure the admission of plenty of air and sunlight while enough are 

 left to fill the places of the old stalks removed. A large portion 

 of the growth of the currant bush up to the fifth year, will be in 

 extending its branches, at which time it will have acquired full 

 size and will produce a full crop. 



With regard to marketing, it is safe to say that none of our 

 Northern small fruits possess better qualities than this. It grows 

 well out of the reach of earth or sand thrown up by violent show- 

 ers, and it can remain on the bush for days, or even weeks, with- 

 out injury, after it is ready for the market. Harvesting should 

 commence as soon as four-fifths of the berries are colored, as the 

 partially ripe fruit makes the firmer jelly, though it lacks some- 

 what of the finer flavor of fruit fully ripened. As this fruit is 

 chiefly used for making jelly it is desirable that the plantation be 

 made up of varieties that' ripen at different periods, as the Eed 

 Dutch for an early variety and the Victoria or Cherry for later 



