CUK 



ci i; 



each two branches must be served like- I 

 wise ; and if growing freely, the leading 

 points of the shoots may be stopped also. 



Culture in the rest season. Early 

 pruning is the first thing to be thought 

 of, as soon as possible after the leaves 

 are fallen. Every healthy branch in a 

 bearing state will, during the summer, 

 produce abundance of side-shoots from 

 amongst the spurs; this is the wood 

 we have first named as being all the 

 better for stopping in June. All this 

 must be cut back at the winter's prun- 

 ing to within one inch or so of the main 

 stem. An exception must, however, be 

 taken in favour of gaps or blanks, and 

 a shoot here and there must be re- 

 served to fill such ; taking care that 

 they are Avell placed, and that they are 

 low enough down ; the lower the bet- 

 ter. Pruning being thus far carried, 

 it is best to shorten every terminal 

 point. This induces a liberal produc- 

 tion of side -shoots in the ensuing sum- 

 mer, and the base of each becomes 

 a centre, around which a host of fruit 

 spurs will be engendered. Any decayed 

 or decaying wood must be cut away; 

 but if there is much of this, it is best 

 to destroy the bush, and plant anew ; 

 for it seldom makes a good bush 

 again. Those who have not top-dressed 

 in the summer, may now do so, and 

 the winter's work will be complete. 



Fruit: uses; how to keep. The fruit 

 commences ripening, under ordinary 

 circumstances, in the end of June, and 

 continues hanging for a length of time, 

 it' unmolested by the birds or wasps. 

 The white will hang nearly two months, 

 and the red we have gathered unco- 

 vered and unprotected in the first week 

 of November. The ordinary way of re- 

 tarding the currant, is by enclosing the 

 trees in mats when the fruit is rather 

 more than three parts ripe. These 

 mats should be taken off at least once 

 a week on dry days, to dispel the damp. 

 All decaying leaves and berries should, 

 at such times, also be carefully re- 

 moved. Some train against north 

 walls, Avhere the fruit keeps very late. 

 but is exceedingly acid. A White Cur- 

 rant or two, planted against a smith 

 wall or fence, will come in very early 

 for the dessert. 



Diseases. We are not aware of any 

 except a premature decay of the old 

 shoots after the manner of apricots; 

 the causes of which are not well under- 

 stood. 



Insects. The caterpillar sometime 

 attacks them, but their greatest enemy 

 is an aphis, which distorts the leaves 

 in a puckered form, producing red 

 blisters. Tobacco water is the best 

 remedy. 



CruKANT (THE BLACK). 



I r arieties. We are not aware of any 

 more than two in this section really 

 deserving of notice, which are 



The Common Black. A good bearer, 

 but fruit small. 



The Black Naples. A short bunch, 

 but noble berries. 



The latter kind is now almost uni- 

 versally cultivated, it both requires 

 and deserves a generous treatment. 

 The "Black Grape" is recommended 

 by some, but Ave question if it is not 

 synonymous Avith the Black Naples. 



Propagation : by Cuttings, Seeds, and 

 Layers, similarly to the Ked and White. 



Soil. Moisture of a permanent 

 character is the great desideratum 

 Avith this shrub; dry soils can never 

 do justice to it. A soil someAvhat 

 adhesive in character suits it best, 

 but not a cold clay; although, Avith due 

 culture, we have known them succeed 

 Avell in a soil of Avhich clay or marl 

 formed one of the principal com- 

 pounds. A soft and darkish looking 

 soil, such as the scouring of old ditches, 

 resting on a clayey subsoil, and espe- 

 cially if large trees overhang, becomes, 

 by the action of Avater, an excellent 

 mat ciial for a Black Currant plan- 

 tation. The clayey principle is gene- 

 rally incorporated Avith it; and being 

 rich in vegetable matter, it constitutes 

 a fat and pulpy mass. It must, IIOAV 

 ever, be thrown out some time to mel 

 low, previously to its being mixed Avitli 

 (lie soil. In Cheshire, it is very usual 

 to see them planted on the sides of 

 ditclies, which convey the impure drain - 

 ag from the house or farmstead, and 

 there they luxuriate Avith a very infe- 

 rior course of culture in other respects, 

 ll may, nevei tlieless, be observed, that. 

 almost any ordinary garden soil, if of 



