Then as to the soil. It is quite useless to expect 

 a currant bush that has stood in the same spot for 

 two, three, or four years, without manure, to produce 

 anvlhiuff but small, unpalatable productions. A 

 drosing- of manure must be given every season, 

 cither in fall or spring. This and the pruning above 

 mentioned should be as regular as tlie return of the 

 seasons. The distance between the bushes is worthy 

 of note. Many people plant their currant bushes in 

 a sort of hedge row, in some place "unfit for any- 

 thing else" — perhaps under the shade of some other 

 trees. It is very well to have all the corners of a 

 garden filled up — we like to see it so ; but a fruit 

 so useful as the currant, should not be crowded into 

 dark corners. The plants should have an open bor- 

 der, and not be closer than four feet, unless in very 

 small gardens, where they might be kept in a dwarf 

 form. The fruit at best is acid enough — in the 

 shade it is particularly so. It is only whore it enjoys 

 unobstructed the heat and light of tlie sun, that it 

 att:iins perfection in size and flavor. 



In the production of new, improved varieties of 

 currants, very little has yet been done : but the sub- 

 ject seems to attract some attention. now. In small 

 fruits, size is u most important consideration. A 

 great deal has been effected in the production of large 

 gooseberries, and we know of no reason why the cur- 

 rant may not be equally improved. The fact that new 





large varieties liave been already produced, shows it 

 to be susceptible of improvement. The large Red 

 and White Dutch are as large again, almost, as the 

 old common sorts. Some otheF recent varieties are 

 still much larger than they. But to those who cul- 

 tivate badly, all are alike — the worst will prove just 

 as satisfactory in the end as the best. 



The following new'varieties have fruited with us 

 two years, and we can therefore speak of them from 

 actual e.\perience : 



The Cherry Currant. — This is a variety intro- 

 duced a few years ago from France, very distinct in 

 fruit and foliage from all others, and decidedly the 

 largest of all currants yet known here. The bunches 

 are very short, the immber of fruit in each bunch sel- 

 dom exceeding ten or twelve. Fruit very large — 

 often over an inch in circumference. The outlines 

 annexed were made with great accuracy from an 

 average sized bunch, taken from plants under ordi- 

 nary nursery culture, quite inferior to that which it 

 would receive in a well managed private garden. It 

 is of a deep re:l, and ripens about the same time, and 

 are similar in quality to, the Red Dutch. The plant 

 is remarkably vigorous. Shoots stout, short-jointed, 

 and stiff, with large, thick, deep green, slightly fold- 

 ed leaves. Cole says: "It is a poor bearer, not 

 worth cultivating." We apprehend he has passed 

 a hasty verdict. We call it a good bearer — an abun- 

 dant bearer. The bunches are not so long, nor the 

 fruit so numerous, as in the Red Dutch and some 

 others, but this is easily accounted fur in the size. 



Victoria. — This is also a new and very distinct 

 variety, both in fruit and foliage. The bunches are 

 remarkable for their length, frequently, measuring 

 six inches, and numbering thirty fruit and upwards 

 in a bunch. The annexed outline is accurately made 

 from an average bush — size in all res;ects mathe- 

 matically correct. The plants un:ler ordinary nur- 

 sery culture. The fruit is in size b:?t\vecn the Dutch 

 and the Cherry. The color is a very light, beautiful 

 red ; and in season it is later than any othor — in 

 fact, they are now in fine condition on the bushes, 

 (August 20th,) and to all appearances will remain 

 much longer. The wood is stout, but less so than 

 the Cherry. The foliage is dark colored, thick, and 

 flat, or a little reflexed or turned backwards at the 

 edges. 



White Graph. — This differs from the White 

 Dutch in being very much larger. The bush is more 

 spreading in its habit, has thicker, darker, and flatter 

 foliage. It bears in the greatest profusion. 



Knight's Sweet Red is a degree milder than the 

 Dutch ; in other respects it seems little better. 



"Red Astuacan" and "Northern Spy" Atples. — 

 Mr. Barry ;— I llinnk you for ihe " KeJ Astracan" applos 

 you wcne so kind ns to give me. and nm delighted to lind 

 iKem no line a fruit. They are beautiful in color, very deli- J 

 Gate, crisp, and juicy ; nnd being early, are u most tlesiralde j 

 variety. I am pleased to tell yuu that i have made my nn- 1 

 nual visit to the twenty-three " iXorthern Spy" trees ot Mr. jl 

 Hand, and found them well laden wiib fruit. The apples h 

 are about halfgrown now, nnd are looking line. Ihuvecn- K 

 engaged one hundred burrels of the fruit. I wiah all the [ 

 doubters, as regards the thrifiinesa of the growth of the tree, r", 

 its productive cjuulities, beautiful form nnd quality of the J 

 apple, could see them. One nurseryman who went with J 

 me, exclaimed tliat the growth of the tree vvns greater by J 

 one-third, tliau th:it of any otlier apple trees he had seen. [ 

 Iff is a " convert" Mt h-nst. 



The fruit gcnernlly will not equnl the crop of 1!!48 ; but 

 Western New York will produce a fair (pian'.ily, and of ex- 

 cellent quality, this year. J. H. Watts. — liochesier, 1850. 



