148 THE ORCHARD AtfD FRUIT GARDEN. 



except in the case of any which may be required to fill 

 tip blanks. Shorten all the terminal points, to encourage 

 the production of side-shoots the following summer, and 

 to promote the formation of fruit- spurs. All the decayed 

 wood must be cut away; but if there is much of this, the 

 tree had better be destroyed, and a young one put to fill 

 its place. Unless a top-dressing has been applied earlier 

 in the year, bestow it now. 



For summer culture give a top-dressing of half-rotted 

 manure in May, three inches thick, and spread it after 

 rain. This is especially beneficial in localities which 

 are subject to drought. Stop or remove all the poor 

 watery spray, and when the shoots which tend towards 

 the centre of the bush are about nine inches long, which 

 will be by the middle of June or so, they should be so 

 cut back as to leave the centre open. A fortnight later 

 all the watery, wild-looking spray round the outside of 

 the bush may be cut back to within four inches of the 

 base, which will leave tufts of foliage to shade the swell- 

 ing fruit. Some of the side-spray on the branches may 

 be served the same, and, if growing freely, the leading 

 points of the shoots may be stopped also. 



Currants begin to ripen in June, but will hang on 

 the tree a long time if the birds, &c., will let them alone. 

 White currants will hang two months, and red a good 

 while longer. They may be saved by the bushes being 

 covered with nets or matting. If matting is used it 

 should be taken off once a week, on a dry, clear day, to 

 get rid of the damp, and all the decayed leaves and 

 currants should then be carefully picked off. 



To get fine large currants, keep the trees thin of wood, 

 as with gooseberries, and thin the spurs if they become 

 too abundant, leaving only young ones, a few inches 

 apart from each other. 



A few white currants planted against a south wall 

 are valuable to come in early for dessert. They may be 

 put to fill up bare spots while other trees grow up, or, if 

 there be wall to spare for them, they can be planted 

 three or four feet apart. The branches should be 

 trained six inches apart, vertically. The trees can be 



