SMALL FRUITS PAY WELL 191 



tion of a good crop. Thorough but shallow cultivation 

 is essential, and will aid immensely in conserving mois- 

 ture, and prevent loss by evaporation during dry weather. 

 Use plenty of well-rotted manure, spread around the 

 bushes in winter if possible. This will invigorate the 

 bush, insuring larger and better fruit the next season, and 

 will aid in the production of strong young plants for 

 future crops. 



I would like to say a word about the treatment of 

 anthracnose. It is a disease that can be overcome. We 

 are liable to have years when anthracnose is severe, and 

 then again it disappears. This plan of treatment strikes 

 me as the most favorable, and I think will be found suc- 

 cessful in general practice: When you lift the canes in 

 the spring of the year treat with bordeaux mixture; 

 make it double strength, and cover the canes with it soon 

 after they are lifted. When the young growth appears 

 and is about eight inches high, spray again, but use the 

 mixture weak, just half the strength you did before. 

 The theory is this: The spores are thrown off by the 

 canes early in the spring from these infected spots, and 

 when they are covered by a thick bordeaux mixture it 

 prevents these spores being thrown off. You cannot 

 prevent injury to the old canes, but you can prevent in- 

 jury to the young canes, and if you spray you can make 

 the young canes grow well the first season without any 

 serious damage — but spray the second time when the 

 young canes are about eight inches high. 



Currant and gooseberry bushes are often injured by 

 the borer. The egg is laid about June ist. When hatched, 

 the young borer works its way into the cane, and remains 

 until the following spring, eating out the pith and caus- 

 ing death of cane. As soon as the leaves start, the af- 

 fected parts are easily discovered, and should be cut out 

 and burned. 



