35 



Pruning. 



The currant produces its best fruit on strong, vigorous shoots, 

 two or three years old, while that on the older wood is small and of 

 inferior quality. It is therefore the practice in pruning to cut out 

 all very old canes and encourage the growth of strong new shoots. 

 This may be done at any time after the leaves have fallen, and 

 before much growth in the spring, but the fall is the best time for 

 this work. 



Varieties. 



There are many good varieties in cultivation, but they do not 

 show so much variation as to form, size and color as the other 

 kinds of fruiti Any of the leading sorts may be made to produce 

 large fruit if grown in a rich soil and properly pruned. In fact, 

 it is asserted by many that the only difference between many of 

 the varieties is produced by the cultivation and fertilization. How- 

 ever this may be, it is conceded by the best growers that carefully 

 selected plants of the several varieties do have distiuct character- 

 istics. Among the varieties most grown the best are the Cherry, 

 Fay's Prolific, Red Dutch, Victoria and White Grape. The white 

 currants are much less acid and of better quality than the red 

 kinds, but are not so readily sold in the markets. The Victoria is 

 said to be especially valuable, because of its hanging so long on 

 the bushes after ripening. 



Insects. 



As with almost any crop on the farm or garden, the currant is 

 injured by insects. The " currant worm " comes upon the bushes 

 soon after the leaves begin to unfold, and in a few days destroys 

 all of the foliage unless checked in its work. The best remedy is 

 powdered hellebore, dusted over the bushes while the leaves are wet 

 with dew or rain, or sprayed with water mixed at the rate of one 

 tablespoonful of hellebore to a common two-gallon pail of water. 



Fungous Diseases. 



The failure of many a currant plantation to yield a profit has 

 often been due to the leaves being destroyed by a leaf blight that 

 first appears as small dots on the lower leaves. These increase 

 in size and number, and soon cause the leaves to fall, preventing 

 a full maturity of the canes and fruit buds. This injury is pre- 

 vented by spraying with the Bordeaux mixture * just as the blos- 

 soms are set, and again as soon as the fruit is picked. 



* See Bulletin No. 44, Hatch Experiment Station. 



