MAY.] SMALL FRUITS. 241 



General care of small Fndts. 

 Continue the care of new planted bushes of all 

 kinds, as directed last month, with regard to mul- 

 ching and watering, according to the state of the 

 weather ; also, to destroy insects or vermine that 

 may annoy them, as far as practicable, and as fully 

 noticed in April. 



Of summer pruning Currants, Gooseberries, and 



Raspberries* 



It is not a very common practice to summer- 

 prune currants and gooseberries, but it is essential 

 to their welfare, and to the production of fine fruit, 

 if judiciously performed. It also, in a great mea- 

 sure, tends to prevent the ravages of the caterpillar. 

 No doubt, a moderate degree of shade is aiding to 

 the swelling of the fruit to a full size ; but if, by 

 too much, it be excluded from a the sun and air, it 

 will be wanting in flavour ; therefore the hearts of 

 the plants should be regularly thinned of the cross 

 and water shoots ; and all suckers rising about 

 the roots ought to be carefully twisted off, as they 

 appear. If part of the shoots that rise about the 

 stools of raspberries were twisted off, or otherwise 

 destroyed, at this time also, it would let in the air 

 about them ; the shoots left for bearing next year 

 would increase in strength, and the fruit now upon 

 the plants, in size. 



Of summer dressing and watering Strawberries. 

 Strawberries, planted in rows, (which is a better 



