No. 4.] CURRANTS. 193 



Pests. 



The currant suffers from several pests of whicli the currant 

 worm, familiar to all, is most troublesome. This worm is to 

 be found throughout the eastern part of the United States 

 in all plantations, and must be combated if a profitable crop 

 is to be grown. Happily, it is easily poisoned with any of 

 the arsenical sprays or, if it has been permitted to continue 

 its depredations until near fruiting time, powdered hellebore 

 at the rate of a teaspoonful to a gallon of water is an effec- 

 tive remedy. The currant borer is also a serious pest in 

 many parts of the east. With a little experience invested 

 canes can easily be told, and the pest can be controlled by 

 cutting out and destroying such canes in early spring. 

 The San Jose scale also attacks the cilrrant, and may be given 

 the same treatment as on other fruits. One of the oil sprays 

 is better than hme and sulphur on currant bushes, as the scale 

 sometimes gets on the branches below the ground, and so a 

 spray is needed which will spread. In eastern Massachusetts 

 the bushes must be watched for the eggs and nests of the 

 brown-tail and gypsy moths. Both of these can be detected 

 and destroyed in winter. These are the only pests requiring 

 constant looking after, though several fungi infect the plants 

 more or less in different localities and may need treatment 

 with fungicides. Commercial plantations should be sprayed 

 with fungicide and an arsenical as soon as the fruit begins to 

 swell, and again with a fungicide immediately after the fruit 

 has been picked. 



Varieties. 



The following list should be considered in selecting varieties 

 for either home or market purposes. It includes the standard 

 kinds and several new sorts which are well worth trying. 



The Cherry is a standard sort, with large but short clusters 

 produced in great abundance. 



Diploma is comparatively new, but to be commended be- 

 cause of its vigorous, upright habit of growth and large, 

 light red, semi-transparent berries. 



Fay succeeds remarkably well in some locations, but fails 

 in others. Its sprawling habit of growth is a defect. 



