918 



CURRANT 



that many new varieties have been introduced. At the 

 beginning of the nineteenth century, few named sorts 

 were recognized, the currant being generally known 

 simply under the names black, red and white. 



Propagation of currants. 



The usual method of propagating currants is by 

 means of cuttings. These root very readily and good 

 plants are secured after one season's growth. The 

 best time to make the cuttings is in the autumn, as 

 currants begin to grow very early in the spring, and 

 once the buds have swollen they cannot be rooted suc- 

 cessfully. Wood of the current season's growth is used. 

 This may be cut early in the autumn as soon as the 

 wood has ripened, from the end of August to the middle 

 of September being the usual time. It should be cut 

 in as long pieces as possible to save time in the field, 

 and put in a cool moist cellar or buried in sand. If the 

 cuttings can be made at once, it is best to do so. These 

 are made by cutting the wood into pieces, each about 8 

 to 10 inches long, although an inch or two more or less 

 is not of much consequence. The base of the cutting 

 should be made with a square cut just below the last 

 bud. There should be at least % inch of wood left 



1151. Common currant Ribes vulgare, in bloom. 



above the top bud of each cutting, as there should be 

 a strong growth from the upper bud, and if the wood is 

 cut too close it is liable to be weakened. A sloping cut 

 is best for the upper cut, as it will shed rain better, but 

 this is not important. When made, the cuttings should 

 be planted at once, which is usually the best plan, or 

 heeled in. If heeled in, they should be tied in bundles 

 and buried upside down in warm well-drained soil, 

 with about 3 inches of soil over them. The object of 

 burying them upside down is that by this method the 

 bases of the cuttings will be nearer the surface where 

 the soil is warmer and there is more air, and will callus 

 more quickly than if they were further down. The cut- 

 tings should callus well in a few weeks, and may then 

 be planted outside, if thought advisable. Cuttings may 

 be kept in good condition over winter by heeling-in 



or burying in sand in a cool cellar, or after callusing 

 under a few inches of soil outside, they may be left 

 there over winter if covered with about 4 to 5 more 

 inches of soil to prevent their drying out. Good results 

 are secured with the least trouble by planting the cut- 

 tings in nursery rows as soon as they are made. The 

 soil should be well prepared and should be selected 

 where water will not lie. Furrows are opened 3 feet 

 apart and deep enough so that the top bud, or at most 

 two buds, will be above ground. The cuttings are 

 placed about 6 inches apart on the straight side of the 

 furrows and soil thrown in and tramped well about 

 them. When only a smaller number are to be planted a 

 trench may be opened with a spade. It is important to 

 have a large proportion of the cutting below ground, 

 as more roots will be made and the plants will be 

 stronger. There would also be danger of the cuttings 

 drying up before rooting if too much of the wood is 

 exposed. If the season is favorable the cuttings should 

 callus well and even throw out a few roots by winter. 

 Where there is little snow in winter, it is a good prac- 

 tice to cover the tops of the cuttings with about 2 

 inches of soil, which will be a good protection for them. 

 This soil should be raked off in spring. In the spring, 

 cultivation should be begun early and kept up regularly 

 during the summer to conserve moisture and favor 

 rooting and the development of the bushes. By autumn 

 they should be large enough to transplant to the field. 



In Great Britain and Europe, currants are often 

 grown in tree form and are prevented from throwing 

 up shoots from below ground by removing all the buds 

 of the cuttings except the top one before planting in the 

 nursery. This system is not recommended for most 

 parts of America as it has been found by experience 

 that snow breaks down currants grown in this way, and 

 when borers are troublesome it is not wise to depend 

 on one main stem. 



Most of the cultivated varieties of currants have 

 originated as natural seedlings, little artificial crossing 

 having been done with this fruit. Currants grow readily 

 from seeds, and it is easy to get new varieties in this 

 way. The seeds are washed out of the ripe fruit, and 

 after drying, may either be sown at once or mixed with 

 sand and kept over winter in a cool dry place and sown 

 very early in the spring. The best plan is to sow them 

 in the autumn in mellow well-prepared and well- 

 drained soil, since when this is done they will germinate 

 very early in the spring, while if sown in the spring the 

 seed may be all summer without sprouting. The seed 

 should not be sown deep, from % to ^ an inch being 

 quite sufficient. If sown very deep they will not germi- 

 nate. The young plants may be transplanted from 

 the seed-bed to the open in the autumn of the first 

 year if large enough, but if the plants are very small 

 they may then grow another season, when they should 

 be planted out at least 4 by 5 feet apart, so as to give 

 them room enough to fruit for several seasons, in order 

 that their relative merits may be learned. If intended 

 to remain permanently, the plants should be at least 

 6 by 5 feet apart. The bushes should begin to bear fruit 

 the second or third year after planting out. Each bush 

 will be a new variety, as cultivated fruits do not come 

 true from seed. If a seedling is considered promising 

 it may be propagated or increased by cuttings, as 

 already described. 



The soil and its preparation. 



Currants should be planted in rich soil in order to 

 get the best results. The soil should also be cool, as 

 the currant is a moisture-loving bush. The currant 

 roots near the surface; hence if the soil is hot and dry 

 the crop will suffer. A rich, well-drained clay loam is 

 the best for currants, although they do well in most 

 soils. If the soil is not good, it should receive a good 

 dressing of manure before planting, which should be 

 well worked into the soil, the latter being thoroughly 



