24 



NEW ENGLAND FAR]\IER. 



Jan. 



their length into the ground. We have never ' 

 experienced any trouble from their throwing 

 up suckers. It is said that cutting the eyes or ^ 

 buds away from the part set in the ground | 

 will prevent this. In setting the cuttings, care j 

 should be taken to have the earth come close I 

 to them at every part. The after care of i 

 the plant is simply to thin out superfluous | 

 wood oncp a year, and give them a fair soil 

 and clean culture. 



There are many varieties of currants, but 

 three or four of them are decidedly prefera- 

 ble to the rest. 



The Cherry is a strong grower, with stout, 

 erect, short-jointed shoots ; leaves large, thick, 

 and dark green. Valuable for market and 

 preservation. We have not found it a spe- 

 cial acquisition to old varieties. 



The Victoria has very long bunches of 

 bright red fruit ; growth spreading ; very pro- 

 ductive ; hangs on the bushes some two weeks 

 longer than most currants. 



The Red Dutch is an old standard. It is 

 thrifty, grows upright and is very productive. 

 Fruit Urge, deep red, rich acid flavor, with 

 clusters three or four inches long. 



The White Dutch is much like the red in 

 habit ; fruit larger ; shorter bunches, and of a 

 fine yellowish- white color, with a very trans- 

 parent skin. Le?s acid than the red currants, 

 and is much prefi-rred for the table. It is very 

 productive and a little earher than the red. M|. 

 CiiAKLES Downing expressed the opinion 

 that the White Dutch and White Grape are 

 the best of the white currants. The White 

 Grape has moderately long bunches, berries 

 very large, whitish-yellow, sweet and good, 

 and very productive. The branches grow 

 more horizontal thnn White Dutch. 



May's Victoria, La Ilative, Knights' Large 

 Red and Versailles, are among the best of the 

 red ones, after the Red Dutch. 



The currant is es'eemed for its hardiness, 

 quick growth, beauty in the garden, and for 

 its adaptation to use either in an unripe or 

 ripe state. Picked into bottles while green, 

 and sealed up, we have known them kept un- 

 til hit"' winter, without any other preparation, 

 — and at that season they are highly valued 

 for pics and tarts. Gathered when two-thirds 

 grown, and stewed and sweetened, they make 

 a palatable conserve, they are also used for 

 tarts and pies, along with cherries or other 

 fruits. When ripened and mixed with sugar, 



they afford a most agreeable and healthful 

 acid. Perhaps no other fruit is more grateful 

 than this, at the tea-table, after an afternoon 

 of labor in the heat of summer. Currant 

 shruh is a popular and wholesome drink. It 

 is also thought an indispensable accompani- 

 ment to many dishes as a jelly, — and in this 

 form large quantities are annually used. 



It has become quite common for families to 

 make wine of this fruit, and there is no doubt 

 but it is preferable to most of those which are 

 articles of commerce. It is sweet, of a very 

 pleasant taste, and in cases of debility, is un- 

 doubtedly useful. As a luxury, even, it 

 would be less injurious than many things which 

 we eat and drink. 



The process of making the wine is simple 

 and easy. The fruit should be ripe, and to 

 one quart of juice, three quarts of water and 

 three pound of sugar should be added. The 

 vessel in which it is placed should be kept full 

 until fermentation ceases, so as to throw off 

 the impurities which will come to the surface. 

 It is as well to allow it to remain in this vessel 

 as to bottle it. * 



The worst enemy to the currant is the new 

 currant worm. The crop in this region was 

 seriously affected by it last year, and through- 

 out Western New York, the crop was entirely 

 cut off. Before the fruit was half grown the 

 bushes were entirely stript of their leaves, and 

 had the appearance of being dead. What 

 were brought into the Buffalo market, sold 

 readily at §8.00 per bushel. Crops in this re- 

 gion have been more or less affected for sev- 

 eral years past. Unless some remedy is found 

 to prevent the ravages of this insect, the pros- 

 pect is that this delicious and wholesome fruit 

 will be entirely cut off. 



TO MAKE FARMING HONORABLE. 

 The following pertinent remarks on the 

 management of Agricultural Shows and of 

 farmer''s boys, and on agricultural writers and 

 editors, were made by Z. Breed, E«q , of 

 Weare, N. H., at one of the evening meetings 

 at the late Fair of the New England Agricul- 

 tural Society : — 



The great question, in my opinion, for us 

 to consider, is. What will elevate the charac- 

 ter of the farming community, or at least, the 

 profession of the farmer ? It strikes lue that 

 there are many things tending to depress the 

 farming interest, and to take the attention of 



