258 POPULAR FRUIT GROWING. 



Avoiding frosts It sometimes happens that the blossoms, 



which appear about the middle of May and are quite sus- 

 ceptible to frosts, are seriously injured on cold nights. They 

 may often be protected when in this critical condition by taking 

 the mulching from the rows and throwing it back again on the 

 plants for a few days, or until the danger from frost is past. 

 If the winter mulch is left on as late as it is safe to do so, which 

 is until the new growth starts strongly, it will serve to retard the 

 plants and they will not come into blossom until a week or so 

 later than they otherwise would were the mulch removed early in 

 the spring. But aside from the risk or injury from frost, more fruit 

 is produced from plants that come into flower early. An ordi- 

 nary frost seldom destroys the stamens, its damage being con- 

 fined to the pistils, therefore, the center or berry part of the 

 frosted flower turns black. 



Varieties. The varieties vary much in size, color, and qual- 

 ity of the fruit and vigor, productiveness and hardiness of the 

 plants. The flowers also vary, as has been mentioned under the 

 head of Sexuality of the flowers. There are now several hun- 

 dred varieties catalogued by nurserymen, and new varieties are 

 brought out each year, but of the new kinds that have been tried 

 probably not one in twenty-five has been worth the keeping, and 

 yet we can reasonably expect that most of the kinds now popular 

 will be displaced by better kinds within a few years. 



It is well not to pay a high price for plants. The new kinds, 

 if good, are soon offered at reasonable figures. As a rule it is 

 not necessary to pay over twenty-five cents per dozen, or one 

 dollar per hundred for plants. In quantities of five hundred or 

 more they can be bought at much less cost. About two hun- 

 dred plants, if well set out and cared for, will give all the fruit 

 needed by the ordinary family. Beginners will generally be most 

 successful if they confine themselves at the start to some good 

 bi-sexual kind, to save the annoyance of caring for two varieties 

 which may be easily mixed together. 

 The Currant. 



The currant will grow and fruit abundantly in almost 

 any soil or situation in the northern states if given good cultiva- 

 tion; and even when it has but little care it is still very sure 



