20 Cultivation of the Currant. 



on the older wood. The best fruit is produced on the wood of two or 

 three years' growth ; and therefore the object in pruning should be to retain 

 as much of this wood as possible, at the same time bringing in young wood 

 to replace that which, having become old and unproductive, or producing 

 only inferior fruit, is to be cut away. This is all the pruning that will be 

 required, except thinning the wood when too crowded. In cutting out young 

 wood where too thick, it is best to leave the fruit-buds at the base of the 

 shoot, as they will afterwards develop into spurs, and produce abundantly. 

 The branches should, however, be shortened so as not to allow the bush 

 to become too spreading or ill balanced. 



Before the fruit ripens, some hay or straw should be spread for the fruit 

 on the lower branches to rest upon ; for the bush cannot be trained so high 

 that these branches will not rest on the ground when heavily loaded. Mulch- 

 ing will not only save the currants from injury, but, by keeping the ground 

 moist, it will cause them to grow to a larger size. The fruit should never 

 be gathered when wet either with dew or rain, as it is not so sweet, and 

 will not keep as well, as if picked when dry. After a heavy rain, some of 

 the berries are found to have absorbed so much water as to burst open. 



No varieties have yet been produced superior in quality to the Red and 

 White Dutch ; and, when well grown, there is nothing much better in any 

 respect. Among the many new names there are few that are really distinct. 

 The Cherry has a very large but acid berry ; and the Versailles, which is, 

 .on the whole, the most desirable of the new red currants, is hardly equal in 

 quality to the Red Dutch, though, from its larger size, it brings a higher price 

 in the market. The White Grape is larger and handsomer than the White 

 Dutch, but not quite so sweet. 



It was the opinion of Mr. Knight, gathered from his experience in rais- 

 ing new varieties of fruit from seed, that the currant would first become 

 sweet and then insipid by repeated growth from seed ; but this opinion has 

 not been borne out by the varieties lately introduced, which, as observed 

 above, are more acid than the older kinds. This should not, however, deter 

 us from the attempt to raise sweeter varieties by sowing seed, either care- 

 fully selected or hybridized. The seed may be sown thinly in drills as 

 soon as cleaned from the pulp ; in which case the ground must have slight 

 mulching, or it may be buried in a cool place, and sown in spring ; but this 

 must be done very early, before it is sprouted. 



