258 SUCCESS WITH SMALL FRUITS. 



to give a particle of food to the starving bushes, remarking 

 annually, with increasing emphasis, that they must be " run- 

 ning out." Few plants of the garden need high feeding 

 more, and no others are more generally starved. I will 

 guarantee that there are successful farmers who no more 

 think of manuring a currant bush than of feeding crows. 

 This fruit v/ill live, no matter how we abuse it, but there are 

 scarcely any that respond more quickly to generous treat- 

 ment ; and in the garden where it is not necessary to keep 

 such a single eye to the margin of profit, many beautiful 

 and interesting things can be done with the currant. The 

 majority will be satisfied with large, vigorous bushes, well 

 enriched, mulched and skilfully pruned. If we choose, 

 however, we may train them into pretty little trees, umbrella, 

 globe, or pyramidal in shape, according to our fancy, and 

 by watchfulness and the use of ashes, keep away the borers. 

 In one instance I found a few vigorous shoots that had 

 made a growth of nearly three feet in a single season. With 

 the exception of the terminal bud and three or four just be- 

 low it, I disbudded these shoots carefully, imbedded the 

 lower ends six inches in moist soil as one would an ordinary 

 cutting, and they speedily took root and developed into 

 little trees. Much taller and more ornamental currant and 

 gooseberry trees can be obtained by grafting any variety we 

 wish on the Missouri species i^Ribes auremn). These can 

 be made pretty and useful ornaments of the lawn, as well 

 as of the garden. Instead, therefore, of weed-choked, 

 sprawling, unsightly objects, currant bushes can be made 

 things of beauty, as well as of sterling worth. 



The cultivation of the currant is very simple. As early 

 in the spring as the ground is dry enough, it should be 

 thoroughly stirred by plow or cultivator, and all perennial 

 weeds and grasses just around the bushes taken out with 



