Gardening for Amateurs 



1055 



Currant, Red. Never 

 plant these unless at least 

 half an acre can be set out. 

 Somebody must watch the 

 fruit almost before it changes 

 colour until it is gathered or 

 the birds take a heavy toll. 

 The crop is more profitable 

 than it used to be, and well- 

 grown bushes bear enormous 

 crops. Prices are now gene- 

 rally from 15 to 20 per 

 ton or more for Currants 

 gathered into 6 Ib. chips. 

 Plant out 4, 5 or 6 feet 

 apart each way, hoe fre- 

 quently in summer and treat 

 liberally in regard to manure, 

 and Red Currants in four or 

 five years' time become a 

 paying crop. 



Gooseberry. Since the 

 coming of the dreaded dis- 

 ease, American Mildew, one is 

 chary of advising the plant- 

 ing of these. When buying 

 bushes a guarantee of free- 

 dom from disease should be 

 obtained. The bushes may 

 be planted 4, 5 and 6 feet 

 apart between Apples or 

 Plums which are growing up 

 and will usually stand for ten 

 or twelve years, unless the 

 trees are planted too thickly. 

 Returns from Gooseberries vary greatly in 

 price, green berries making 20 per ton 



Young Apple trees bearing heavy crops. 



plant Pears, he may be successful in growing 

 choice sorts. The varieties I recommend 



for the earliest pickings, the price for ripe (for growing in bush form on the Quince 

 or half - ripe berries dropping to 5 and stock) are Conference, Hessle and Fertility. 

 even less, wholesale. Three tons per acre The Pear needs a warm soil of some depth 



can be gathered from well-grown bushes. 

 Lancashire Lad and Crown Bob are both 

 fine sorts to grow for producing ripe berries, 

 and the old Sulphur, or Golden Drop, is 

 useful for this purpose. For very early 

 pickings of green berries May Duke is best, 

 though it is almost equalled by Keepsake. 

 For a variety of general utility that will grow 

 and flourish where many others fail none is 

 so good as Whinham's Industry. 



Pear. In certain districts in the country 

 Pears may be profitable. If a smallholder 

 has warm fences or walls against which he can 



and requires a warmer situation than the 

 Apple to be really successful. 



Plum. These are profitable in some parts 

 of the kingdom, and over a number of years 

 the average returns are fairly encouraging. 

 Unless the grower finds himself in one of 

 these favoured spots he will be well advised 

 to proceed with care in planting Plums. 

 The trees seem to thrive in heavy soil or in 

 any land which contains a fair proportion 

 of lime. I have seen enormous crops grown 

 on light gravel and also on heavy clay 

 marl. Half-standards should be planted of 



