The Home Garden 



that air can circulate freely. This, with the 

 removal from time to time of the older growth, 

 is about all the pruning I consider necessary. 

 At any rate, it is about all that my bushes get, 

 and I am well satisfied with my yearly currant 

 crop. I get large, perfect fruit in abundance, 

 but it is the result of high feeding, rather than 

 of any other treatment. Manure your currants 

 well and pruning is a matter of secondary impor- 

 tance, except, as has been said, for the removal 

 of weak wood and the purpose of occasional 

 renewal. You cannot make any system of train- 

 ing and pruning take the place of manuring. 



The ground about the bushes should be well 

 worked and kept free from weeds and grass. 

 This is a matter of very great importance. If 

 the season happens to be a dry, hot one, it is a 

 good plan to cover the soil with mulch. Mois- 

 ture and coolness at the root are necessary to 

 the development of a fine crop of fruit. 



The currant- worm often destroys the season's 

 crop in a few days if let alone. As soon as its 

 presence is discovered, dust powdered helle- 

 bore over the entire plant. Care should be 

 taken to get the fresh article. Old powder is 

 generally worthless. Put it on the plants 



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