274 HORTICULTURAL MANUAL. 



The currant is usually groAvn in bush form. In this 

 stool form they throw up shoots from the crown which 

 can easily be shaped by pruning. But along walks and in 

 well-kept places the tree form is often adopted. This is 

 effected by cutting off all the buds of the cuttings except 

 at the top, and when the top bud starts rub off all shoots 

 but one and train that upward, as noted in section (265). 



264. Manuring and Mulching. The currant will grow 

 and bear under neglect on almost any soil, but to bring the 

 fruit to perfection it must have culture and a rich soil. 

 It is a heavy feeder and its greatest perfection is reached 

 on heavily manured soil. It will even do without culture 

 if the soil is made very rich and the whole surface between 

 the rows is mulched. It is a cold-blooded plant and will 

 thrive and bear perfect fruit when heavily mulched with 

 sorghum bagasse, straw, or even coal ashes. Some growers 

 mulch heavily near the plants and cultivate in the centre 

 of the rows. Sawdust kept on the surface is often used 

 near to and between the plants in the line of the rows. 

 But in this case the old, partially rotted sawdust is used. 

 The Fay currant is specially benefited by the sawdust 

 mulching, as much of the fruit hangs down on pendent 

 branches, which the mulching keeps clean. 



It must be kept in mind that with currants the feeding- 

 roots run very near the surface. Hence commercial 

 growers cultivate with a narrow harrow, with the teeth 

 slanted back, while the plants are young, and then mulch 

 the whole surface. But others continue the shallow culti- 

 vation, with frequent manuring. 



265. Pruning and Training. In field culture the prin- 

 ciple of renewal is practised. The best fruit grows on 

 two-vear-old wood, and many growers of fancy fruit prune 

 out all wood older than two years, and have young wood 

 coming forward to fill its place. But the usual rule is 



