CHAPTER XXIX. 



THE CURRANT. 



Give plenty of manure and ctdture. TIM. 



/TTVHE currant is a general favorite, and every 



jL garden should have, at least, a few bushes. 



Market gardeners find profit in growing this 



fruit for sale, as the gross receipts sometimes exceed 



$400 per acre, and the expense of care and cultivation 



is not necessarily great. 



Currants thrive under a wide range of conditions, 

 but do best when planted in deep, moist, cool soil, 

 and when partially shaded. Clay soil, with good 

 drainage, well enriched, suits the currant almost per- 

 fectly. It is a good plan to mulch around the bushes 

 with straw, or with green clover cut in full blossom, 

 through the heats of summer. Some growers shade 

 their currant bushes by alternate rows of grape vines 

 and some by means of fruit trees. Shade is more 

 necessary south of the Ohio and Potomac Rivers than 

 in more northern latitudes. 



Where possible, it is well to plant five feet each 

 way, using 1,742 plants to the acre. Do not stint the 

 manure. Currants require extra heavy manuring in 

 order to get berries that will command the best price. 

 Not only should the soil be in excellent tilth at the 

 time of planting, but it should be top-dressed yearly 

 (every autumn or early winter), with pig or cow 

 manure. There are no fruits that will respond more 

 quickly to good treatment than currants and goose- 

 berries. They should be cultivated often, so as to 

 keep down all grass and weeds. The pruning may 



