AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 127 



the leaves larger, and of a darker green, than the common sort. The blos- 

 som of the cherry currant is easily distinguished from the greenish yellow 

 blossom of the red and white Dutch, by its darker brownish color. But 

 the greatest and most valuable distinction of the cherry currant, consists 

 in the uniformly great size of the berries. They measure from half an 

 inch to five-eighths of an inch in diameter, all the berries of a bunch being 

 generally of nearly one size, while the bunches of the common currant 

 taper down to a very small berry at the end. Besides this, the berries are 

 also distinguishable by their dark red color. Another and very striking 

 feature of the cherry currant, consists in the manner the bunches are dis- 

 tributed over the branches. While, with the common currant, the fruit is 

 rather thinly — at least, by comparison — scattered over the branches, the 

 cherry currants hang in massive clusters, so tight that the stems of the 

 fruit-strings can scarcely be seen. Branches of the bush, from one to three 

 feet in length, are often unbroken clusters of luscious fruit, which gives 

 the bushes a charming rich appearance. 



How to groiv them. — Many farmers and market gardeners seem to think 

 these good qualities can only be brought out by very high culture, such as 

 the amateur gardener can only bestow on a few pet bushes. This is an 

 error. I would say : Manure, plow, and hoe them as you do your Indian 

 corn, and you will have them in as great perfection as the nurseryman. 



As the bushes grow very strong, they should be planted not less than 

 4x4 feet, or, perhaps, 4x5 feet apart, which will give 2,178 plants per acre. 

 I prefer the latter method, and would plow only one way between them, 

 allowing the branches to spread in the direction of the rows, so as to form 

 something like a hedge. These rows shoiild run north and south, to shield 

 the bushes from the hottest mid-day sun. Shade to the fruit is indispen- 

 sable to bring it to perfection ; if too much exposed to the hot rays of the 

 sun, the berries ripen prematurely before they attain their full size. Now, 

 all the shade necessary to protect the fruit is furnished by the bush itself, 

 if you do not disable it to do so by pruning and cutting away what was 

 evidently intended for that purpose ; and this brings me to the shape in 

 which currant bushes should be pruned. I am aware that there exists 

 a great difference of opinion among cultivators as to this point. Many 

 believe that the tree shape is decidedly the best ; others* think the bush 

 form, with several branches springing directly from the root, the better 

 and most natural shape. I have tried both ways, but prefer the latter 

 method greatly. The great advantage of the bush form, it seems to me, 

 consists in the system of renewal which should be combined with it. 



Suppose you plant young bushes with two prongs, or branches. Plant 

 them deep, and allow, the first year, two shoots to grow up from under the 

 ground. These shoots will, at the same time, send out their own roots, and 

 grow luxuriantly. If you allow, then, every year two more shoots to 

 spring up from the root, you will, in the summer of the fourth year, have 

 two branches each, of five, four, three, two and one years' growth. Six of 

 these branches, that is, the five, four, and three year old ones, will be 



