260 SUCCESS WITH SMALL FRUITS. 



begins to turn, spread this material under the bushes. On 

 many places, the mowings of weedy, swampy places would 

 be found sufficient for the purpose. After the fruit is gath- 

 ered, start the cultivator and hoe at once, so as to secure 

 vigorous foliage and healthful growth throughout the entire 

 summer. 



Pruning may be done any time after the leaves fall, and 

 success depends upon its judicious and rigorous perform- 

 ance. The English gardeners have recognized this fact, 

 and they have as minute and careful a system as we apply to 

 the grape. These formal and rather arbitrary methods can 

 scarcely be followed practically in our hurried American life. 

 It seems to me that I can do no better than to lay down some 

 sound and general principles and leave their working out to 

 the judgment of the grower. In most instances, I imagine, 

 our best gardeners rarely trim two bushes exactly alike, but 

 deal with each according to its vigor and natural tendencies ; 

 for a currant bush has not a little individuality. 



A young bush needs cutting back like a young grape-vine, 

 and for the same reason. A grape-vine left to itself would 

 soon become a mass of tangled wood yielding but little fruit, 

 and that of inferior quality. In like manner nature, un- 

 curbed, gives us a great, straggling bush that is choked and 

 rendered barren by its own luxuriance. Air and light are 

 essential, and the knife must make spaces for them. Cut- 

 ting back and shortening branches develops fruit buds. 

 Otherwise, we have long, unproductive reaches of wood. 

 This is especially true of the Cherry and other varieties re- 

 sembling it. The judicious use of the knife, kept up from 

 year to year, will almost double their productiveness. 

 Again, too much very young and too much old wood are 

 causes of unfruitfulness. The skilful culturist seeks to pro- 

 duce and preserve many points of branching and short 



