204 THE FRUIT GARDEN. 



not be repeated here. I shall add, however, that 

 the ground for these plantations should be trenched, 

 or be dug to its full depth, previous to planting; and 

 that although these fruits will generally do very 

 well in ordinary garden land, well manured, yet 

 currants, gooseberries and raspberries, thrive best, 

 and are most prolific in sub-humid soils, in which 

 there is a considerable proportion of moss. In 

 strong loams, or in clayey soils, they will produce 

 fruit abundantly ; but will be less early than in 

 sandy earth. In hungry gravels they do little good; 

 in tills, they sicken. 



Of pruning Currants and Gooseberries. 



Currants 'and gooseberries may be pruned with 

 propriety, either in this, or the next month, as may 

 be most convenient. It is, however, very fit busi- 

 ness at this time. These plants produce their 

 fruit both on spurs, and on the shoots of last sum- 

 mer ; but the fruit produced on the latter is always 

 largest. The shoots to be retained, therefore, 

 should be left at full length. 



It is a very general practice to shorten all the 

 shoots of these plants, less or more ; and some leave 

 hardly any thing else than the spurs formed on the 

 old branches ; both which modes are very wrong. 

 The spurs on the under parts, and indeed on most 

 parts of the old branches, may be left ; only thin- 

 ning them out a little, when very thick. The 

 plant ought to be well thinned out in the middle, 

 cutting clean out the water-shoots of last season, 

 and all such as cross one another j generally leaving 



