G70 7\\Ay a ACTIONS of the AMEUICAy Ixstituth. 



while the rain is falling. During the season, if the price of currants 

 fall below a certain figure, the grower can turn his crop of fruit into 

 jelly, which is a merchantable article, kept on sale at the present 

 time by every first class grocer. 



Uses. — When green the currant is made use of for pies and tarts. 

 When the fruit is ripe, the bulk of the crop is sold to manufacturers 

 of wine and jelly. The demand for table use has increased rapidly 

 within the last four or five years ; and this demand will be more each 

 succeeding year. I know of many instances where families that six 

 years ago hardly knew currants, that for the past two seasons have had 

 them on their tables three times a day as long as the fruit lasted. 



Propagation. — There are none of the small fruits more easily pro- 

 13agated than the currant. In the northern and middle States the 

 currant ripens its wood in the latter part of August. When the 

 wood is ripe, the sm-plus maybe cut from the parent bush, and made 

 into cuttings about six inches long, cut square on the lower end, and 

 obliquely on top. These cuttings may be planted at once, in well 

 prepared ground, in a narrow trench five inclies deep and as long as 

 required. The cuttings are placed in an upright position two or 

 three inches apart in the trench. In filling in the trench, the earth 

 should be pressed very firmly around the lower end of the cutting. 

 This can be done with a wooden pounder or by stamping the earth with 

 the feet. It is important to do this in planting all kinds of cuttings, 

 as well as the currant. When the loose earth that was taken from 

 the trench is replaced, and surface leveled, two eyes of each cutting 

 should be above the surface. 



When the cuttings are made and planted in September, young roots 

 are pushed out. Soon after planting, and before cold weather sets 

 in, the cuttings are well rooted. At one year from the time of plant- 

 ing the young plants will be as strong as the' year-old plants, when 

 the cuttings were set out in the spring. 



Culture. — The currant will grow in any soil that is properly ferti- 

 lized, but will do best, making more wood and producing larger fruit, 

 on a well prepared clay soil. It is a rank feeder, and will produce 

 beautiful crops annually, when the soil is kept rich. 



When the ground is prepared, the rows may be marked out four 

 feet apart, and the plants set in the row three feet. This will give 

 ample room for cultivating, gathering the fruit, etc. Like the pear, 

 the currant is social in its habits, and will do better with close plant- 

 ing and careful prumng. The main ol»jpet in pruning the currant 



