CULTIVATION OF FRUIT 



313 



ence to older ones. In summer endeavour to encourage a shoot from 

 the base of the previous year's wood, so that it may take the place of 

 the latter. Pinch hard back all the other shoots upon the same 

 branch, so that the one at the base may grow freely. 



Currants. There are three kinds of Currants under cultivation 

 for their fruits, viz. : the Black, Ked, and White. The Black and the 

 Red both grow wild in this country, and the White is a variety of the 

 Red one. 



Red and White Currants. As in the case of the Gooseberry, Cur- 

 rants may be propagated from seed if there is a special reason for 

 doing so, such as the raising of a new variety, but the most satis- 



Single, 



Double. 

 CORDON GOOSEBERRIES 



factory, convenient, and generally practised method is by cuttings, 

 which are made in exactly the same way as advised for the Goose- 

 berry. Firm, short-jointed shoots, from twelve to fifteen inches 

 long, are taken off, and all the buds removed, except four or five 

 near to the apex, so that no suckers can appear afterwards. In 

 preparing the shoot cut it straight across, under a joint, for it is only 

 here that roots are formed. If the cut were made, say, midway 

 between the two joints, the end would die back to the first joint above, 

 and probably would not form roots at all. Insert the cuttings on a 

 shady border several inches from each other, in rows twelve inches 

 apart. The principal branches of the Currant bush may be obtained 

 in the same way as described for the Gooseberry, i.e. by shortening 



