CURRANTS 



339 



placed in rows about four feet apart to allow for tillage and the 

 use of cover crops. Because of the difficulty in removing plants 

 from among the bushes in the rows, it is a good practice to sow 

 cow peas or .soy beans in midsummer instead of a cover crop which 

 will live through winter. The frost will kill the cow peas or soy 

 beans and the dead plants may be worked into the soil the follow- 

 ing spring. Pruning consists chiefly in removing the very oldest 

 growth, but the stems should be allowed to remain for several 

 years. 



Fio. 229. When blackberries ripen rather uniformly the labor of picking the crop 

 is much reduced but the marketing season is shortened. The uniformity of ripening is gov- 

 erned by the season, soil and variety. (New Jersey Station.) 



Currants are propagated easily by cuttings. In late summer 

 cuttings are made from the new growth. These may be set in the 

 ground immediately with two or three buds exposed above the 

 soil. If put in rows in the garden they may be transplanted after 

 one full season's growth. In a permanent location they are set 

 in rows four feet apart. The soil should be heavy loam, as the roots 

 should have a cool situation. There should be some annual tillage 

 early in the spring. After that it is well to mulch the soil with 

 strawy manure or similar litter to shade it well to hold the mois- 

 ture and keep down weeds and grass. The rainfall will leach much 



