158 THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



THE CUKEANT CEOP. 



BY B. GOTT, ARKONA. 



Eight glad are we that we planted the currant ground after all. 

 For the last year or two we have been very despondent of reaping any 

 fruit for our labor from this plantation, though quite extensive, on 

 account of the disheartening prevalence of the Currant Worm, and of 

 its determined and repeated devastation on the foliage of our currant 

 bushes. But now we think the good hand of Divine Providence has 

 ■even restrained this pest in our favor ; and although it was present in 

 some numbers, yet the evil has not been as severe as usual, nor the 

 desolation destructive to the crop. The result is as handsome a crop 

 of Eed, White and Black Currants as it was ever our privilege and 

 pleasure to possess; and they are coloring up so finely in their various 

 hues as to tempt even the most fastidious palate. 



As usual, too, in our fruit business this year the market is in tip- 

 top tone, ready to grasp with out-stretched hands the beautiful 

 specimens of rich, ripe fruit as they are offered in their season. This 

 is at present a very encouraging feature of the fruit business in this 

 country, and the realization of our fond hopes. Of the sorts we fail 

 to see the great advantage of, are the large, high-bred European kinds, as 

 •compared with the old familiar sorts, Eed and White Dutch; neither 

 have we suceeded in reconciling the old dispute of either the identity 

 or essential difference of the two claimants to popular favor Cherry 

 and La Versailles. We do feel, however, that the advantages very 

 strongly lie in the cultivation of the smaller varieties. Of these, for 

 red, we much prefer the old Eed Dutch and the Victoria, for white, we 

 very highly esteem White Grape and old White Dutch, and for black, 

 the preference should be at once given to Black Naples. 



From these we firmly believe the maximum of satisfaction and of 

 profit will be surely gathered if carefully managed and cultivated on 

 suitable dry and strong clay loamy soils. Of the various uses of the 

 currant in our domestic economy it is scarcely necessary for me to 

 speak, considering the class of readers I am addressing. The farmers' 

 wives and promising daughters of this country know full well the 

 various uses of the delicious fruits they see growing around their family 

 homes, and can, by their intelligent skill and ready ingenuity place 

 them before their guests as temptingly as those of any other people. 



