420 CALIFORNIA FRUITS: HOW TO GROW THEM 



the foothills, too, where the plant has a northerly slope, or other 

 cooling influence, and sufficiently moist soil, it will do moderately 

 well At elevations in Southern California, where the late apple 

 reaches good quality, currants are also grown to some extent. It 

 is quite possible that the currant may be satisfactorily grown for 

 home use, or for local market in parts of the State where at present 

 one does not find it, providing the moderating effect of elevation 

 and northerly exposure, coupled with the shade of trees, be secured, 

 but even then the hot north wind of the early summer may often 

 injure the fruit. So far as the metropolitan market is concerned, 

 it does not matter that the currant area is limited, for existing 

 plantations produce all, and sometimes more, than can be profitably 

 disposed of at present. It is possible, however, that the future may 

 show a larger demand, for the pure food laws prevent the further 

 selling of apple jelly with a currant color and flavor under the name 

 of currant jelly. 



Propagation. The currant is readily grown from cuttings. As 

 soon as the bush drops its leaves, and the ground is in condition as 

 to moisture, secure the cuttings about a foot in length from straight 

 wood of the last growth, and place them in nursery or in permanent 

 place, in good sandy or garden loam, deeply spaded and well broken 

 up. Set the cutting firmly in the earth, six or seven inches deep. 

 If they are to be trained as small trees, every bud below where the 

 lowest limb is to start should be cut out even to the end of the 

 cutting underground otherwise they will be continually throwing 

 up suckers. If they are to grow as bushes, the natural and more 

 productive form of the currant, set them as they are taken from 

 the parent bush. 



Pruning. If the currant is to be grown in tree form, the 

 four to six feet apart, the plants standing two and a half or three 

 feet apart in the rows. Most of the currant plantations are between 

 orchard rows, the partial shade of the trees being considered desir- 

 able. It is claimed that currants do best when interplanted with 

 cherry, apricot, apple, and pear, not so well when associated with 

 plum and peach, and the almond is least desirable possibly because 

 the almond is often given less cultivation than the pulpy fruit or is 

 grown on lighter, drier soils. The cultivation is such as is usually 

 given to the orchard, except that in heavy soil the plow is not 

 allowed to come near the cuttings the first season for fear of tearing 

 them from their rooting. After the first year the plow is used in 

 the winter and the cultivator in summer. 



Currants will repay generous applications of well-rotted manure, 

 and relish sufficient moisture in the soil. Where this can not be had 

 from rainfall, and retained by cultivation and mulching, irrigation 

 must be resorted to. 



Pruning. If the currant is to be grown in tree form the 

 branches from the upper buds of the cutting should be shortened ; 

 in at the end of the first summer, and branches growing horizontally j 

 should be removed. The weaker shoots in the head are thinned 



