1382 THE FRUIT INDUSTRY IN NEW YORK STATE 



roots extend but a short distance and their food must be within 

 reach. Stable manure is one of the best fertilizers and should be 

 applied preferably in November or during the winter or in early 

 spring. 



The kind and amount of commercial fertilizer to use depend 

 on conditions. The food requirements of the currant are not 

 materially different from those of other fruits, and the supple- 

 ments needed on any soil are best determined by individual ex- 

 periments with nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash, leaving 

 checks so that benefits, if any, may be apparent. The following 

 amounts are suggestive: two to three hundred pounds per acre of 

 nitrate of soda or three to six hundred pounds dried blood applied 

 as soon as the leaves have unfolded ; one ton of wood ashes or two 

 to three hundred pounds muriate of potash ; six to seven hundred 

 pounds acid phosphate all to be applied early in the spring. 

 The fertilizers will not take the place of humus. 



PROPAGATION 



Currants are easily propagated. In the fall, as soon as the leaves 

 have dropped, usually in late September or early October, hard- 

 wood cuttings from six to ten inches long the longer cuttings 

 being preferred for dry soils are made from well-ripened wood 

 of one season's growth. They may be planted at once in the nur- 

 sery row or tied in bundles and buried butt end up in moist sand 

 or moss to callous for a few weeks, after which they are planted ; 

 or they may remain in the sand until early spring. The cuttings 

 are planted deeply, leaving but one or two buds above the surface 

 and placing them from four to. six inches apart in the row. If 

 fall-planted, they must receive winter protection, either with a 

 slight backfurrow of earth or with a covering of coarse stable 

 manure or straw applied after the ground freezes. 



The cuttings are left in nursery rows from one to two years. A 

 few plants are occasionally propagated from layers, the canes 

 being bent down and a portion covered Avith earth, leaving the 

 tips exposed. Roots soon develop from the covered cane, which 

 may then be separated from the main bush and planted in a 

 permanent location. 



