70 FARMER'S ASSISTANT. 



Take a tub and fill it half-full of stones, and with as 

 much water; over this lay some straw, and fill the tub with 

 the richest earth ; plant this full of the seeds, and guard 

 the plants well while they are subject to insects, though 

 they will be much less subject to them in this way; spread 

 some brush round the tub for the vines to run on, and in 

 this way a great crop may be raised. The water in the 

 tub must be constantly replenished by a tube from the 

 outside, which will keep the soil in the tub sufficiently 

 moist. 



See INSECTS, for the method of keeping them off the 

 young plants. 



CURRANT (Ribcs.) There are a variety of currants, 

 including those called gooseberries. (See GOOSEBERRY.) 

 The black currant, which grows in the swamps in this 

 Country, is greatly improved by cultivation, says Mr. Win- 

 terbothani) and affords a wine equal to Port, when it hap 

 age. It is also an excelent medicine for a sore mouth and 

 throat. When bruised and steeped in whiskey, or other 

 spirits, it is also excelent for colds and for bad coughs 

 arising from pulmonic complaints. They are to be steeped 

 a fortnight or more; then strain the liquor, bottle it* and 

 put it away for use. The red and the white currants are 

 most common here, and each makes good |[ine, though the 

 \vhite is thought to make the best. Currants are the most 

 useful of all the small kinds of fruit-trees, and for making 

 wines they are very profitable. 



After pressing out the juice for making wine, let the 

 seeds be dried, and sown late in the Fall, or early in the 

 .Spring, on fine* light earth, and from these, new varieties 

 may be had ; some of which may be found very fine, and 

 much superior perhaps to those in common use. Some 

 may be found to ripen early, others late, which are qualities 

 particularly desirable for family-uses. 



Currants are easily propagated from cutings, which is 

 the usual method, or from layers or slips. 

 See LAYERS and SLIPS. 



As soon as vegetation has commenced, take the strongest 

 and straightest shoots, but not such as are suckers, and set 

 the ends pretty well in the ground, in order that they may 

 have sufficient moisture ; and let them be watered, if the 

 weather be very dry, after planting. They will soon take 

 root, and the next season will begin to bear. They should 

 then be kept carefully pruned, and should not be suffered 

 to run too high. They should be kept clear of suckers, as 

 these draw much of that nourishment which is requisite for 

 the fruit. The ground about them should be occasionally 

 to keep it clear of we v eds and grass. 



