254 SUCCESS WITH SMALL FRUITS. 



Until within a century or two, gardeners who cultivated 

 currants at all were content with wild specimens from the 

 woods. The exceedingly small, acid fruit of these wildings 

 was not calculated to inspire enthusiasm ; but a people pos- 

 sessing the surer qualities of patience and perseverance de- 

 termined to develop them, and, as a result, we have the old 

 Red and White Dutch varieties, as yet unsurpassed for the 

 table. In the Victoria, Cherry, and White Grape, we have 

 decided advances in size, but not in flavor. 



CHOICE AND PREPARATION OF SOIL. 



The secret of success in the culture of currants is sug- 

 gested by the fact that nature has planted nearly every 

 species of the Ribes in cold, damp, northern exposures. 

 Throughout the woods and bogs of the Northern Hemis- 

 phere is found the scraggy, untamed, hardy stock from 

 which has been developed the superb White Grape. As 

 with people, so with plants ; development does not eradicate 

 constitutional traits and tendencies. Beneath all is the 

 craving for the primeval conditions of life, and the best 

 success with the currant and gooseberry will assuredly be 

 obtained by those who can give them a reasonable approach 

 to the soil, climate, and culture suggested by their damp, 

 cold, native haunts. As with the strawberry, then, the first 

 requisite is, not wetness, but abundant and continuous mois- 

 ture. Soils naturally deficient in this, and which cannot be 

 made drought-resisting by deep plowing and cultivation, 

 are not adapted to the currant. Because this fruit is found 

 wild in bogs, it does not follow that it can be grown suc- 

 cessfully in undrained swamps. It will do better in such 

 places than on dry, gravelly knolls, or on thin, light soils ; 

 but our fine civilized varieties need civiUzed conditions. 



