122 AROUND THE YEAR IN THE GARDEN 



Gooseberries and currants, to produce good crops, are 

 insistent upon an adequate supply of moisture, and as soon 

 as dry weather sets in they should be mulched. Both should 

 be thinned out so that air and sunshine have free ad- 

 mission, and trailing branches should be cut off well above 

 the ground. When they are allowed to make too much 

 wood, and become brushy, good fruit cannot be expected. 



During the summer the new growth on currants should 

 be gone over, and all except the few branches that will be 

 wanted for fruiting in the future should be cut out. Those 

 that are saved should be cut or pinched back slightly at the 

 tips, which will check growth and cause them to ripen up 

 better in the fall. Black currants are an exception, as their 

 fruit is borne in part upon one-year-old wood. Powdery 

 mildew, often a serious trouble to gooseberries, may be con- 

 trolled by a spray of one ounce of potassium sulphide, or 

 liver of sulphur, dissolved in two gallons of water. Use 

 soon after mixing, and repeat every ten days. 



A Bag Over Each Bunch of Grapes 



The ground should be worked up lightly about the grape- 

 vines and some manure or fertilizer worked in. Bone is 

 especially good. A little later, after growth starts, all eyes 

 or buds appearing below the laterals to be trained as per- 

 manent fruiting canes should be rubbed off. To control 

 black rot clean up the ground round the vines early in the 

 spring and burn all the old pieces of bark, twigs and " mum- 

 mied" fruit. A Manila bag fastened over each bunch of 

 fruit will give protection. 



