66 PROFITABLE FRUIT-GROWING. 



Common salt is good in dry soils, applied at 

 the rate of 2 or 3 cwt. per acre, or a little more 

 than one ounce to each square yard, in dry 

 weather in March. 



Enemies. Small green and black flies (Aphides) 

 are the chief enemies of theRed Currant; they attack 

 the tips of the young shoots, the leaves curl, and 

 growth stops. The quickest method of riddance is 

 to nip off the points of the shoots and burn them, 

 though soap-suds as hot as the hand can be borne 

 in for a quarter of a minute will destroy many 

 and not injure the trees. Black Currants are liable 

 to injury by a very small mite (Phytoptis), almost 

 invisible, attacking the buds, which swell to a large 

 size, but little or no growth follows. There is no 

 certain cure, though sometimes, when the trees are 

 cut boldly down and the branches burnt, clean 

 growths follow. Cuttings should never be taken 

 from trees thus attacked; and if fresh trees are 

 obtained, they should be planted as distantly as 

 possible from the old. 



