468 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST, 



Mr. Peart usually prunes the bushes in 

 the spring, but does not object to fall prun- 

 ing if there is time. March is the best 

 month. The old wood is cut out and the 

 strong young shoots cut back, leaving suffi- 

 cient canes to give a good crop. All wood 

 over three years should be removed, and if 

 the bushes are making vigorous growth the 

 three-year-old wood may go, too. The reds 

 Sear on previous year's wood, but the blacks 

 do not. For this reason the blacks cannot 

 be cut back so closely. The bush form is 

 recommended rather than the tree form, 

 where the currant borer is found, because 

 in the tree form, if the borers attack one 

 stem, the whole bush is lost. 



The varieties were classed as desirable, 

 doubtful, and undesirable. The sorts 

 placed under these headings are found to 

 differ greatly from year to year. Among 

 the red currants there are two classes of 

 bushes, one of which has a much darker 

 foliage than the other. The lighter green 

 ones are the more rugged. The varieties 

 of reds recommended are Cherry, Wilder, 

 Prince Albert, North Star and Fay's Pro- 

 lific. Naples, Saunders, Lee's Prolific and 

 Collins' Prolific give best results among 

 the black varieties tested. Undesirable red 

 currants include Belle de St. Giles. The 



berry is large, but the bushes are unproduc- 

 tive. Brayley and Versailles are also un- 

 desirable. Among the whites the White 

 Grape is productive, but White Imperial is 

 highest in quality. 



For some time there was a poor demand 

 and correspondingly low prices for cur- 

 rants. This last year or two, however, has 

 seen a change, and many growers have real- 

 ized encouraging profits. With ordinary 

 planting 1,200 bushes can be set on an acre. 

 These easily average three quarts a bush, 

 which gives 3,600 quarts of fruit from an 

 acre. Recent prices have netted over three 

 cents a quart after paying for packages and 

 picking. 



In the discussion that followed the pre- 

 sentation of Mr. Peart's paper, Mr. Joseph 

 Tweddle, of Fruitland, said that there was a 

 tendency to plant currants too close. One 

 of his plantations was planted 6x4. 

 Bushes have been removed until they are 

 wide enough apart to permit work being 

 done among them with a team, and he real- 

 izes three times the crop. 



In reply to questions, Mr. Peart said that 

 a plantation should be profitable for about 

 10 years. Rich soil is claimed to produce 

 a rank growth that is liable to be killed back 

 during the hardships of winter. 



WINTER CARE OF DORMANT PLANTS, BULBS AND TUBERS 



W^r. HUNT, O. A. C, GUEI^PH, ONT. 



I^HE care of the numerous varieties of 

 plants, bulbs and tubers, that add so 

 much to the beauty of home surroundings in 

 the summer time, and that require a period 

 of rest or partial rest during our long win- 

 ters, is one that presents many very difficult 

 problems to the plant lover. The unattrac- 

 tive appearance of plant life when in a dor- 

 mant condition often tends to induce even 

 the most enthusiastic plant lover to forget 



sometimes the absolute necessity there is to 

 still apply a small portion of the care we are 

 so willing to give these plants when they 

 are resplendent in all their summer beauty. 

 Too often, also, our attention is so much 

 taken up with the care of the winter flower- 

 ing plants or bulbs that we forget our now 

 dull and dingy looking summer friends and 

 leave them to take care of themselves. 



A little wholesome neglect is sometimes 



* Extract from an address delivered at the convention of delegates from horticultural societies held last month at the time of the 

 Ontario Horticultural Exhibition. 



