STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 69 



returns within tliat time. The y\e\d on naturally stony soil will be in 

 the neighborhood of one hundred bushels per acre. And these would 

 come into the market when there is no competition. It is a good thing 

 to be just ahead of or Just behind the other fellow, and with currants it 

 is a good thing to be just behind. The bulk of the market will come in 

 perhaps Monday or Tuesday. Everybody picks them and runs them in 

 the first of the week. The mistress wants half a bushel and she consults 

 Bridget. "The ironing won't be done before AVednesday night, and 

 Thursday I have all the swapiug to do, and I couldn't get at it before 

 Friday." And by that time they are all gone. Xot half of them come 

 into the market when the people are ready to handle them. We find an 

 advantage with the Victoria in that thev will stay on the market for a 

 week or so. We hold them until the others are out of the market and 

 then double up the price. And I believe that as your currants up here 

 come late you would find a good market for them. Currants are never 

 sold at a very large price, and the market is never overstocked, but is 

 always steady. From §2.50 to 83 00 a bushel is the wholesale price. 

 They are not perishable on the way, and you could ship them by freight 

 at a moderate cost. I think the strawberry and the currant are the two 

 small fruits that should be considered here from a commercial stand- 

 point. The others will come in their places, red raspberries next and 

 black raspberries fourth. There is a moderate demand for gooseberries, 

 but none of the markets handle them in auj- large quantities. Choice 

 gooseberries are in moderate demand, and the manufacturing towns 

 where there is a great number of English population buy more than anj' 

 other places. Blackberries would come late and come in competition 

 with peaches; that is the one objection to them. 



DISCUSSION'. 



Ques. What do you consider your best varietj- of red cuirant? 



Ans. This best varietj- depends upou a great many things. The 

 largest and choicest currant is the Fay, but it is fickle. The Faj- on cer- 

 tain soils is very vigorous in growth and very productive. On other soils 

 it makes but a moderate growth and is a shy bearer. It seems to bear 

 itself out in three or four years. If liberally fed and proj^erly pruned it 

 may bear enormousl}^ for three or four years, but will not bear so heavily 

 after that. The old Cherry is probably the best known and the most 

 generally planted. It is a fine currant but makes a straggling bunch. 

 The Victoria is a medium sized currant, a little lai-ger than the old red 

 Dutch. It is vigorous in growth, holds its foliage until late in the season, 

 holds its fruit for a week or ten days and makes a good jelly. For all 

 around purposes I consider the Victoria the best of the currants that are 

 well known. Do not plant anything that h:)s not a good foliage, 

 especially in a trying climate like this. A good foliage is an indication 

 of character and strength and is of great A'alue. My experience is that a 

 bush or tree that holds its foliage late in the fall is in a better condition 

 to stand the winter than one that sheds its foliage early. 



