DREER'S GARDEN CALENDAR. 69 



THE CURRANT. 



The Currant is becoming quite a popular fruit, and Currant Wine is 

 a frequent domestic production. It is a fruit that can be raised with 

 less skill or care than any other. Currants require rich soil, and a 

 yearly top dressing of manure will bring a heavy crop of fruit. The 

 Cherry Currant grows to a large size ; single berries of it have mea- 

 sured nearly two inches in circumference. The White Grape is also a 

 fine size, and the finest of the light-colored varieties. There is none 

 that will produce heavier crops than the old Red Dutch, and when 

 properly manured, they attain a large size. There are several new va- 

 rieties which give great promise of excellence — such as the La Ver- 

 sailles La Fertile, etc., which produce large bunches of fine fruit. 



BLACKBERRIES. 



The New Rochelle, or Lawton blackberry, still maintains its superi- 

 ority. The Dorchester is somewhat earlier, but is not so highly esteemed. 

 Blackberries should not be planted in excessively rich soil, as it creates 

 a tendency to over-luxuriant shoots, which fail in reaching a proper 

 degree of maturity, and thus being more or le&s injured by winter 

 frosts, the crop is proportionately diminished. To insure the finest 

 crops, the ground should be covered with well -rotted stable manure, in 

 spring, just previous to growth, which will stimulate the plants while 

 the fruit is growing. The points of long shoots should also be pinched 

 off during summer. The Lawton blackberry is a great acquisition to 

 our cultivated small fruits. 



EXOTIC GRAPES. 



The culture of the Foreign grape, under glass, is rapidly gaining in 

 estimation. The difficulties heretofore experienced in their manage- 

 ment are now well understood. Mildew, that great enemy to them in 

 this country, has been traced to its true source, viz : — a deficiency of 

 atmospheric moisture. This theory was first advanced by Mr. William 

 Saunders, of Germantown, and his system j)f culture is now success- 

 fully practised by our most eminent grape growers. Every farmer in 

 the country, if so disposed, may now have a supply of the finest fruit. 

 The cheap system of forming glass structures, with fixed roofs, intro- 

 duced here by Mr. Saunders, has also done much towards extending 

 grape culture. In these structures, no sliding sashes are used, and the 

 expense of heavy rafters and framed sashes is avoided. Where advan- 

 tage can be taken of a stable wall or other building as a back, very 

 serviceable single-roofed houses can be erected for three dollars per 

 foot, in length, and the heretofore dreaded expense of a vast border 

 may now be considered obsolete, since it is admitted that any good 



