THE CURRANT. 157 



danger of their breaking down with their load of 

 fruit, tie them to stakes by all means. I do not 

 believe in that kind of economy which tries to 

 save a penny at the risk of a dollar. 



I believe that better and larger fruit is always 

 secured by shortening in the side branches one 

 third of their length in spring. Fine varieties 

 like the Kittatinny are not entirely hardy in 

 all localities. The snow will protect the lower 

 branches, and the upper ones can usually be kept 

 uninjured by throwing over them some very light 

 litter, like old pea or bean vines, etc., nothing 

 heavy enough to break them down. As soon as 

 the old canes are through bearing, they should be 

 cut out. If the blackberry patch has been left 

 to its own wild will, there is nothing left for us 

 but to attack it, well-gloved, in April, with the 

 pruning-shears, and cut out everything except 

 three or four young canes in the hill. These will 

 probably be tall, slender, and branchless, there- 

 fore comparatively unproductive. In order to 

 have any fruit at all, we must shorten them one 

 third, and tie them to stakes. It thus may be 

 clearly seen that with blackberries " a stich in 

 time " saves almost ninety-nine. Keep out coarse 

 weeds and grass, and give fertilizers only when 

 the plants show signs of feebleness and lack of 

 nutrition. 



