STATE POMOLOGICAL S0CIE;TY. Jl 



CURRANTS AND GOOSEBERRIES. 



A. A. Eastman, Dexter. 



The frost and the drouth of the present season may lead some 

 of us who are engaged in small fruit culture to look on the dark 

 side and to feel that we have more to contend with than any 

 other class, and in view of this state of things perhaps it would 

 be well to recount some of the advantages of our occupation, and 

 possibly we may find that we have more to encourage than we 

 ever before thought of. Even when things were most prosper- 

 ous it was natural for us to magnify our difficulties and draw- 

 backs and forget our advantages. Let us now reverse this order 

 and for the time being put aside all our discouragements and 

 consider some of the reasons why we should congratulate our- 

 selves that we are fruit growers. 



Fruit growing does not require as great an outlay of physical 

 strength as other modes of farming. There is but little hard 

 work connected with it and for this reason it is a suitable occu- 

 pation for those who are not able to engage in farming, market 

 gardening, or any employment which involves much hard w'ork. 

 Old men, women, invalids, and children, may spend their little 

 strength in fruit growing and be successful. 



Small fruit plants are set out for a special work; that is, to 

 send their roots through every inch of the soil in search of plant 

 food and, having found it, to change it into fruit. Our part is 

 to prepare the soil, set out the plants and see that they have the 

 best possible care to do their work. 



As a rule currants and gooseberries are largely overlooked 

 by our fruit growers and farmers ; not cultivated at all. 

 They are, however, worthy of a place in the small garden as well 

 as the larger. The fruit can be used in a green state or when 

 ripe, and does not require a great amount of skill in growing. 



The habits of growth of currants and gooseberries are very 

 much the same, and they require the same treatment in their 

 cultivation. They are northern fruits, which absolutely refuse 

 to do their best in a southern climate but there is no fruit grown 

 with us that will respond more quickly to first-rate care and 



