162 AGRICULTURE FOR COMMON SCHOOLS 



and it is well to manure the currant heavily. It is good prac- 

 tice to mulch around currant bushes with straw, rotted saw- 

 dust, or coarse manure. The mulching keeps the soil moist 

 and cool. New plants are obtained easily by planting 

 cuttings. These can be made in August from the shoots 

 of the same year's growth. These cuttings should be about 

 six inches long. They are stuck in the ground until only the 

 top end is exposed. They will take root the same fall. Cur- 

 rants do not need much pruning, except to keep the bushes 

 from getting too thick and having too many old stems. The 

 currants are produced on stems which are one year old or 

 more. Stems older than three years ought to be removed. 



The best varieties are the Pomona, Red Dutch, Wilder, 

 Fay, White Grape, and White Dutch. The last two are white 

 in color and are used for dessert purposes mainly. 



The Gooseberry, — Most of our gooseberry varieties are of 

 American origin. There are some good varieties from West- 

 ern Europe and England, but they are more likely to be 

 attacked by mildew, a kind of plant disease, than our Ameri- 

 can sorts. New plants are obtained by cuttings and from lay- 

 ering. It is better to plant the cuttings very early in spring 

 after keeping them buried in a dry place out of doors all win- 

 ter. Otherwise they are cared for just as currants. 



Some of the best American varieties are Downing, Cham- 

 pion, Houghton, Pearl, and Smith. Of the European the In- 

 dustry, Chautauqua, and Portage are fairly good. 



The Raspberry. — There are two principal kinds of rasp- 

 berries: the blackcap and the red. There are also yellowish- 

 colored raspberries. These are "sports" from the red vari- 

 eties. A sport is an oddity — an accident. No one has been 

 able as yet to explain just what causes "sports." 



