52 ANNUAL EEPORT 



ripening. The current carries well to market, but in order that it 

 be not bruised or crushed, it should not be put in packages of more 

 than a fourth or a fifth of a bushel. Let it be gathered with care 

 without leaves or other litter, put in nice, tidy, well-covered pack- 

 ages, and the market will always take it at a fair price. If the 

 currant plantation is properly cared for, then, like the vineyard, it 

 shows little disposition to exhibit off years. No one of our small 

 fruits is less affected by changes of temperature, by drought, or 

 excess of moisture, by early or late frosts, than this; and it requires 

 no protection even in this climate; so that taking one year with 

 another none yield more sure returns. From about 1000 bushes I 

 gathered this last season 92 bushels, which yielded, often paying 

 all expenses of picking, baskets, expressage and commission, $212 

 Comparing it with grapes, raspberries or strawberries, and taking 

 into account all the labor and risks of production, I think it equally 

 profitable with them. 



To recapitulate — To make currant culture a success, plant mostly 

 the larger varieties. Give plenty of room for air and light. Feed 

 plentifully with stable manure and wood ashes. Keep clean and 

 free from weeds and grass. Do not hurry the harvesting. Send 

 fruit to market in clean packages of moderate size, and free from 

 leaves or any thing that may detract from the good appearance of 

 the fruit, and the results will be satisfactory. 



DISCUSSION. 



President Elliot. You have heard this most excellent paper. 

 Now, if there are any points or questions that you wish to ask, I 

 presume the Doctor is willing that you should go to work and pick 

 it to pieces. 



Mr. Barrett. I wish to ask the Doctor what quantity of ashes 

 he puts on a hill. 



Dr. Frisselle. I think you can hardly put on too much. I have 

 been in the habit of manuring my bushes every fall, giving them a 

 liberal supply of manure, and digging around the roots in the fall 

 of year. Have followed it during the summer with two or three 

 quarts of ashes just as I happen to have them. I used what wood 

 ashes I had. 



Mr. Barrett. One season I put about a bushel of ashes around 

 each of several hills, and it killed out all the grass and weeds. 

 While my neighbors failed, I had profuse crops of currants year 

 after year. All the ashes we had, we put upon those plants, and 

 while my neighbors' plants were infested with the currant worm, 

 mine were entirely exempt. 



Dr. Frisselle. I knew a man who had some currant bushes that 

 he thought were useless, and he took occasion to throw a quantity 

 of ashes around them, covering them up more or less. In the 

 spring he cut out the old bushes, by the advice of, I think, the 



