28 



CURHANTS AND GOOSEBEKKIES. 



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Propagation.— The currant does not come true from seed. 

 The named varieties are grown from layers, cuttings, or divisions. 



Seedlings are easily raised if treated the same as recommend- 

 ed for raspberry seedlings, but rather more care must be taken 

 with its seed than with that of the raspberry as it germinates very 

 quickly in the spring, and if moved after growth has started it 

 often fails to grow. On this account the seed should be sown in 

 the fall where it is to grow the following year. Or if sown in 

 boxes they should be frozen until February or March, when they 

 may be put in a greenhouse or hotbed. But very few seedlings are 

 of any value, and the growing of them is seldom attempted. 



Cuttings are very easily rooted and varieties are almost uni- 

 versally grown from them. They may be taken oflf at almost any 

 time while the plant is dormant, and wood of almost any age or size 

 will root if carefully handled, but the following method is generally 

 very certain to bring good results : 



As soon as the leaves have fallen— which may be in the latter 

 part of August or first of September— the young wood (growth 

 of the current season) is cut into pieces about seven inches long. 

 They are then at once set out in rich, well drained 

 soli four inches apart, in rows three feet apart. 

 Only about one inch of the cutting should be above 

 ground, and great care should be taken to very 

 firmly pack the earth around the bottom of the 

 cuttings. When thus treated they will have cal- 

 loused and made some small roots (as shown in 

 Pig. 18) before the ground freezes, and will start 

 vigorously the following spring. The cuttings 

 should remain as planted for at least one, or per- 

 haps two years. If the land is in good condition 

 they will be ready to set out when one year old, 

 but can remain where planted for several seasons 

 if well cultivated. If wood is scarce the cuttings 

 may be shorter than recommended, but in such a 

 case more care will be required to ensure that 

 they do not dry out in the soil. Sometimes the 

 cuttings may consist of a single bud each, and 

 may be sown like beans in a furrow, but much ex- -^^if; ^^ 

 perience is required to be successful with them 

 when made so very small. 



Layers may be made at any time during the 

 growing season, but preferably in the spring or 

 early summer, as they will then be well rooted by autumn. They 

 consist simply of branches which have been covered with earth 

 and have become rooted. After becoming well rooted they are 

 separated from the old plant. The way in which they are made is 

 shown in Fig. 19. The branches are rather surer to root if the 

 bark and wood is cut or broken a little, or if treated as in Fig. 20, 

 but most varieties root very easily without this trouble. The cur- 



■Currani 

 cutting planted 

 in, Aitqust show- 

 ing the roofs as 

 they appear on 

 the approach of 

 winter. 



