188 



Cultivation of the Currant. 



Vol.V 



cumstances of soil, situation, &c, in which 

 the currant has been grown, have been the 

 means of so altering the appearance and 

 character of the fruit, that new names have 

 been given to such as have been found in a 

 superior state of growth, and some of the 

 sorts are known under at least half a dozen 

 synonymous terms. We have known indi- 

 viduals who have cultivated the currant 

 many years, who, upon seeing those of supe- 

 rior growth, have inquired the name of the 

 variety, under the impression that they 

 might add a larger and a better sort to their 

 garden : yet how surprised have they been 

 to learn, that it was one and the same kind 

 of which they had abundance already, only 

 in an inferior and neglected state of growth. 

 It is indeed a rare circumstance to find plants 

 in any thing like the vigor they can be made 

 to attain by proper cultivation, the applica- 

 tion of manure, and above all, the proper 

 mode of pruning. 



It is to the cultivation of the well known 

 and excellent varieties of the currant which 

 we already possess, that we wish to call the 

 attention of cultivators. If their mode of 

 treatment be properly understood, it may be 

 applied to any improved varieties which may 

 hereafter take the place of those that are 

 now known. 



Raising the currant from seed. — To grow 

 seedlings, it is important that the largest and 

 best fruit should be selected. To do this, a 

 strong and healthy plant should be taken, 

 and if too full of fruit to prevent its attain- 

 ing a good size, it should be thinned out, 

 leaving only sufficient for the plant to bring 

 to the utmost perfection ; as soon as the 

 fruit is ripe, it should be picked, and the 

 seeds washed out from the pulp: this may 

 be easily done by bruising the seeds in wa- 

 ter, and passing the whole through a sieve, 

 and afterwards spreading it out in a cool, 

 shady, situation to dry, after which it may 

 be placed in papers until the time of plant- 

 ing in the month of April. At that season 

 a small piece of ground should be selected 

 for the purpose, and be made fine by deep 

 spading and raking the surface; the seed 

 may then be planted in drills about a foot 

 apart, scattering it thinly, that the plants 

 may not come up so crowded as to require 

 thinning out to any extent. No other care 

 is requisite than to keep the bed clear of 

 weeds: they will produce fruit in the second 

 or third year, when such as are worth pre- 

 serving should be marked, and the remain- 

 der rooted up and thrown away. 



Soil. — The currant is perfectly hardy, and 

 will grow in any situation, and in almost any 

 good garden soil ; but that in which they 

 produce their fruit in the greatest perfec- 



tion, is a deep, rich, mellow loam, somewl 

 moist; very stiff" clayey soils are the le 

 adapted to this fruit. In sandy soils 1 

 fruit is earlier; but the crop is small, r 

 soon gone. When it is the object to p 

 duce very superior fruit, the soil should 

 staked out, and then covered with three 

 four inches of good old decomposed manu 

 It should then be trenched 18 or 20 inc: 

 deep, placing the top spit and the manure 

 the bottom of the trench. When the be( 

 settled, a little manure may be dug into 

 surface, and it will then be ready for planti 



Raising young plants. — Cultivators v 

 wish to make large plantations, and are 

 sirous of raising their own plants, can eas 

 do so. The cuttings should be planted 

 in April, just as the buds begin to push, 

 lecting a shady border, and planting th 

 five or six inches apart ; the cuttings sho 

 be about a foot long, of the preceding yei 

 wood, healthy and vigorous, and cut off" 

 rectly below a joint. If the bushes are 

 be grown in the manner of small trees, v\ 

 one main stem, all the eyes should be 

 out but the two top ones. Planted out 

 this manner, they make pretty plants, wr 

 may be removed to the fruiting beds the 

 lowing year. 



Planting out. — The period for plant 

 out, is any time after the fall of the leai 

 autumn until severe frost, and early 

 spring before the buds have pushed so fai 

 to show their flower buds. In dry situati< 

 October is probably as favourable a sea 

 as can be selected, as the plants start i 

 leaf very early in the spring, often before 

 cultivator thinks it time to plant out, ar 

 season is lost ; but if the ground is incli 

 to be wet in winter, the early part of A 

 is the best season. The modes of plant 

 are various, some preferring to place tl 

 on the borders of walks, and others in b 

 by themselves; we think the best plan 

 when many plants are wanted, to set a] 

 a small piece of ground for their exclui 

 growth; but whatever situation is chos 

 prepare the soil as above directed, 

 proper distance at which plants should 

 set. is six feet apart between the ro 

 and four feet from plant to plant : less 

 tances than these will do, but the char 

 of procuring large fruit will be less, 

 plant neatly, a line should be stretched ac: 

 the bed : at the proper distances put dov\ 

 small stake, then commence taking out 

 earth: now place in the plant, settinj 

 against the line; spread out the roots c: 

 fully, and cover them with fine earth, mals 

 it firm around the roots, and treading it ligl 

 when finished ; give each plant a pot of 

 ter, if dry weather at the time of planti 



