Proceedings of the Farmers' Club. 671 



bash is to keep the surplus, young and old, wood thinned out and 

 shortened in, so that the bush will be open and spreading. If the 

 young wood is permitted to grow up in the center of the bush, the 

 fruit on the inner branches will be small and inferior. 



A neighbor practices an excellent method of pruning on his bear- 

 ing bushes. Instead of waiting until the end of the growing season, 

 when the wood is ripe, he removes the superfluous young shoots in 

 the early part of June, nipping them all with the thumb and linger. 

 By this simple and effective method the labor and expense of pruning 

 is reduced, and the yield of fruit is very much larger than when 

 treated in the ordinary M'ay. To insure paying crops of fruit it is 

 quite as important to give the bearing currant bush an annual prun- 

 ing as it is the grape vine, although the currant will stand the " rough 

 and no treatment" system better than the grape. In most cases the 

 grape vine will receive some attention during the year, in the way of 

 manuring, digging around the roots, &c., &c. ; but I have known 

 many instances wdien currant bushes were allowed to stand in a 

 neglected part of the garden for five or ten years without manure cu" 

 cultivation, and still bear some fruit every year. 



Varieties. — For many years the general favorite, the Ked Dutch, 

 was the only red currant cultivated to any considerable extent in this 

 country, and it was principally grown in gardens for home consump- 

 tion. The introduction of the Cherry and La Versaillaise at a later 

 period gave an impetus to the culture of the currant on a large scale 

 for market. The large size of berry of both of these sorts attracted the 

 attention of fruit growers, and as a matter of course they were pro- 

 pagated, and planted extensively for market. For a number of yea^ 

 there were little or no demand for plants of the Eed Dutch. Every 

 one who planted wanted the large kinds. However, when the excite- 

 ment subsided, and growers compared notes, under the same treat- 

 ment, the Red Dutch was found nearly if not quite as profitable as 

 either the Cherry or La Versaillaise. There is very little difference, 

 if any, between these two last named varieties, either in growth, size 

 of berry, or length of bunch. The quality of the La Versaillaise is 

 bitter, and the bunch more shouldered than the Cherry ; but when 

 the two kinds are placed alongside of each other on separate plates, 

 good judges of fruit are puzzled to decide the difference. There have 

 been a number of new varieties introduc«d within a few years, but 

 their culture have been very limited. Of white currants, the White 

 Grape is tho most popular with growers. In another article on tkis 



