CULTURE OF SMALL FRUITS. 339 



CURRANTS. 



The Currant' is but little used except for j ies and for 

 preserving purposes. There is, perhaps, no other small 

 fruit that will give more weight of crop for the space it 

 occupies than the Currant. However, as it is only used 

 for these special purposes, and is but very little eaten at 

 dessert, in an uncooked state, comparatively few are re- 

 quired. The plants should be set out in the garden in 

 rows about four feet apart, and three feet between the 

 plants ; for market purposes, these distances may be in- 

 creased one-half. The young shoots require to be pruned 

 in the fall, cutting off about one-third of their growth, 

 and thinning out the old shoots when they become too 

 thick. They are all trained in bush form, to a height of 

 three or four feet. The best red varieties grown are 

 known as the Fay, Red Dutch and the Cherry. Of the 

 white kinds, that known as the White Dutch is the best. 

 It is of a yellowish-white color. This variety is sweeter 

 than the reds, and for that reason is better for dessert 

 purposes. Black Currants are but little grown, and then 

 exclusively for jams and jellies. They should be culti- 

 vated in the same way as the whites and reds, although 

 they are an entirely different plant, belonging to a differ- 

 ent species. 



GOOSEBERRIES. 



The Gooseberry is but little grown in this climate, as 

 our summer is entirely too hot for it, and it is rarely 

 seen in good condition, as it ripens just in the heat of 

 summer, when the weather is the hottest, thus forcing 

 it unnaturally to maturity, so that the fine flavor ob- 

 tained in milder climates, such as Great Britain, is never 

 found here. For that reason it is not much grown, ex- 

 cept to be used in a green state for pies or tarts, and is 



