310 THE CURRANT. 



and the use of liquid manure, shading and thinning, the 

 large fruit of the prize cultivator is produced. Not con- 

 tent with watering at root, and over the top, the Lanca- 

 shire connoisseur, when he is growing for exhibition, places 

 a small saucer of water immediately under each goose- 

 berry, only three or four of which he leaves on a tree ; 

 this he technically calls suckling. He also pinches off a 

 great part of the young wood, so as to throw all the 

 strength he can into the fruit. 



SECTION 12. PRUNING AND MANAGEMENT OF THE 

 CURRANT. 



The red and white currants bear, like the gooseberry, on 

 wood not less than two years old, nnd therefore the same 

 system of pruning may be applied to them. The most 

 convenient and easily-managed form in which they can 

 be grown, is that of a bush or small tree, with a stem of 

 three to six inches high, and a head composed of a certain 

 number, say six or eight principal branches, situated at 

 equal distances, and not nearer to one another at the ex- 

 tremities than six or eight inches. 



These branches are produced by cutting back the young 

 shoots found on the nursery plant, as recommended for 

 the gooseberry. They are afterwards annually shortened 

 to produce lateral branches, when wanted, and fruit spurs. 

 Care must be taken not to prune too close, as this causes 

 the buds on the lower parts to make wood instead of fruit 

 spurs : one third, and in many cases one fourth, will be 

 quite sufficient. 



The Currant as a Pyramid. The currant is very easily 

 formed into pretty pyramids. The mode of conducting 

 them will be similar to that recommended for other trees. 



A good strong shoot must first be obtained to com- 

 mence upon ; this is cut back, and laterals produced as 

 though it were a yearling cherry-tree. Summer pruning 



