No. 4.] BUSH-FKUITS. 355 



The English varieties root with great difficulty, and arc 

 therefore propagated by mound layering. This is done l)y 

 banking the earth up about the bush in spring and allowing 

 it to remain there until roots are thrown out from the base 

 of the branches. Some of the English sorts will require to 

 be left in this condition for two years before being sufficiently 

 rooted for the branches to be cut off and set out l)y them- 

 selves. The American varieties will form roots readily, 

 and can be cut into separate plants the following spring 

 after being mounded. They may also be proi)agated by 

 ordinary laj^ering, bending a branch down and covering it 

 with soil until it roots. This is less convenient than the 

 other method, and not so generally practised. 



After-culture. 



Frequent, thorough, but shallow tillage is all that these 

 fruits demand. The roots of these plants are readily injured 

 hy implements which run deep, and their use should be 

 avoided. 



The use of a cover-crop is as applicable to currants and 

 gooseberries as to raspberries and blacklierries. Several 

 rows of currants on our own grounds had an excellent stand 

 of mammoth clover during the past winter and spring. This 

 was cultivated and hoed out with some difficulty after mak- 

 ing a good start this spring. It has been noted that these 

 plants are now making an unusually good growth. How 

 much of this is due to the influence of the clover we are un- 

 able to say. Certainly no injury has resulted from it. 



Pruning. 



The pruning of currants and gooseberries is simple. 

 When first planted, if the growth has been rapid, the 

 branches may be shortened back at the spring i)runing ; but 

 under ordinary conditions the pruning consists chiefly in 

 thinning out superfluous stalks or branches. For the first 

 year or two the young wood may be removed ; after that it 

 is chiefly a question of removing the older parts, to give 

 place to young growth. The best fruit is always borne on 

 the young wood. It is well, therefore, to keep a perpetual 

 process of renewal under way, so that at no time shall there 



