16 



W. F. ALLEN, Strawberry Specialist SALISBURY, MARYLAND 



Soil and 

 Cultivation 



Red Currants are more particular in regard to soil than 

 most other small fruits. They will grow in a hot sandy 

 soil, but are never so productive as in a cool, moist clay 

 loam, and no small fruit will repay liberal manuring better. While the 

 vitality of the plant is great and it will grow in almost any soil if fertile, 

 the moisture-retaining character of a clayey soil, well supplied with humus, 

 will always make the crop greater and better. 



p . While some growers have attempted to train the Cur- 



j T^rainintr ^^^^ to a single stem in tree-like form, this is not the 

 ^ best, especially as a commercial fruit. The bush 

 form in which shoots are thrown up from the base is always the best. 

 The pruning needed is to prevent too many shoots coming up from the 

 base and crowding the bush, and the cutting out of the old gnarley shoots 

 that have served their purpose. Half a dozen thrifty shoots will make 

 more and larger fruit than a crowded cluster, and the effort should be to 

 maintain a supply of vigorous two-year-old shoots, and then ehminate the 

 stunted ones. The first season allow three good shoots to grow, and the 

 next spring shorten these slightly if they have made a long growth, and 

 encourage new shoots from below. In a dry sandy soil I have found that 

 a good mulch of sifted coal ashes under the plants will retain moisture 

 better than any other material. 



BLACK CURRANTS 



These differ very greatly from the red Currants. They are much stronger 

 growers, and are seldom grown for market, as there is little demand for the 

 fruit, which is not so palatable to most people, and is mainly used in 

 making black Currant wine. While the red Currants need to be planted 

 about 6 feet apart each way, the black ones need 8 feet at least. 



A splendid bunch of Red Currants 



