28 ' THE FABM. 



to the garden, or to some inclosed portion of the building grounds 

 the native sorts which do well, or some of the finer cultivated varieties, 

 it will -lot, it is believed, be much longer neglected. 



Tb» following are good varieties : New Eochelle or Lawton — very 

 large, intensely black, juicy, rather soft, sweet, excellent flavor ; ripens 

 the first of August, and continues in use six weeks ; originated at New 

 Eochelle, N. Y. Dorchester — nearly equal in size to the foregoing, but 

 of a more elongated form ; very sweet and high-flavored ; vigorous 

 and productive ; ripens about the first of August ; bears carriage 

 well ; originated in Massachusetts. Newman's thornJess — ^promises to 

 be valuable ; not so well tested as the others. New York. 



Cultivation. — The suckers of this year are planted out in rows, six 

 feet apart, and the plants two feet apart in the rows. This is done in 

 the fall, or early in the spring. At the time of planting they should be 

 cut down to within a foot of the ground. They will bear a little, and 

 they will send out several suckers which will bear the next year. 

 About four is enough to leave, and those of the strongest. These 

 should be cut off in the fall, or early in spring, to within four feet of 

 the ground, and should be tied to a small stake. A straight branch of 

 locust is best, and then the stake lasts a lifetime at least, let the life be 

 as long as it may. The next year more suckers come up, which are 

 treated' in the same way. 



Swamp muck, chip-dirt, leaf-mould, and a light dressing of salt are 

 good applications. The best soil is a deep, rich, moist loam. 



Cnnant. — The currant is propagated by cuttings, which should be 

 planted in the fail in a shady situation. It requires moist, rich, deep 

 loam, and should be trained as a bush. It bears on wood of previous 

 year's growth ; but mostly on two-years-old wood. As soon as the 

 fruit is ofl^, thin out the old wood, leaving only stems of the present and 

 last year's growth. Clip ofi" three or four inches of the former to make 

 a growth of spure for the next crop. 



Varieties : cherry currant — the best variety, very large, nearly twice 

 the size of the common red Dutch ; round, light red, clusters moder- 

 ately short, quite acid ; growth large, tall, and luxuriant. Red Dutch — 

 fruit of large size, oblate, borne in large clusters, and less acid than the 

 common red ; color fine transparent red. White Dutch — large yellow- 

 ish white, less acid than the red kinds. Black Naples — is the largest 

 and best of the black varieties ; but none of these are desirable. 



Gooseberry. — Varieties : crown bob, roaring lion, white Smith, red 

 . Warrington, Wellington's glory, Houghton's seedling. Crown bob — 

 large, often an inch and a fourth long, roundish oval, red, hairy ; flavor 

 of first quality ; branches spreading or drooping. Roaring-lion — very 

 large, oblong oval, red smooth ; flavor fine, hangs long, branches droop- 

 ing. Houghton's seedling — fruit small, oval, commonly about three- 

 fourths of an inch long ; skin smooth, thin, glossy, a p^e, dull reddish 

 brown, marked with faint greenish lines; flesh tender, juicy, sweet, 

 pleasant; ripens soon after midsummer. Not high-flavored, as com- 

 pared with the best European sorts, but a proftise bearer, always free 

 of mildew, and of very easy cultivation, A seedling from a wild 

 American species ; origin, Salem, Mass. 



