48 



THE FRUIT GARDEN 



berries is to some extent protective, but it leaves much to be desired. Birds carl 

 easily reach the fruit through the meshes of the net, and the work of gathering 

 the fruit is made very troublesome. The nets have to be removed and replaced 



each time fruit is required, which means a 

 considerable loss of time, to say nothing of 

 the damage done to the nets by tearing. 



A system of protecting bush fruits im- 

 measurably superior to the one just mentioned 

 consists of a permanent wooden framework, 

 completely encircling the plantation to be 

 protected, and a covering of close-meshed 

 wire-netting is then fastened to the wooden 

 stakes. It is, of course, quite simple to arrange 

 an opening at each of the corners of the 

 enclosure to allow of the admittance of 

 workers. Ordinary fish netting may be made 

 use of instead of wire-netting, if the latter is 

 found to be too expensive. Such a covering 

 as is illustrated protects the plants from frost 

 in the spring when they are in bloom, and in 

 the suminer from birds when the fruits are 

 ripe. A man can conveniently make his way 

 about beneath the net, and fruit-picking can 

 be accomplished with ease and despatch. In 

 the case of currants and gooseberries the 

 erection might remain for many years — as 

 At base (right hand) spurs, or short stubby long as the fruit trees themselves, in fact- 

 growths, not to be pinched ; above are but with the Strawberry this, of course, wotild 

 stopperwhei"ftlbushl'^bdn|fo™m^^ not be practicable. Strawberry plants are not 

 at 9 or 12 inches ; if the bush is full retained after they are three years old, and 

 sTdTshoot'lo^about fiv^ToinT'^' ""' when the plantation was destroyed the frame- 



work and covering would have to be transferred 

 elsewhere. Supposing fish netting to have been used, this would not be a serious 

 undertaking. In view of the fact that the strawberry plantation is not in one 

 place for more than three years, it would be well always to make use offish netting, 

 leaving the wire-netting to cover the currants, gooseberries, &c. 



Side Branch 



THE BLACK CURRANT 



This is best planted in a rather damp or shaded portion of the garden ; the 

 plants suffer, in a dry, hot soil. In order to secure fine, large, juicy berries, the 

 bushes should always be pruned so as to contain no shoot more than two years 

 old. Therefore it is better to purchase them with the branches starting from 

 the base of the plant than on a stem, as with the gooseberry and red and white 

 currants. Strong, vigorous shoots will then be thrown up from near the soil, so 

 that the necessary new shoots can be selected and the branches that have fruited 



