MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 103 



Pruning of Currant-Bushes. 



The pruning of currants is nearly similar to that of goose- 

 berries. You may begin in the month of November, and con- 

 tinue till March, as it suits your convenience. 



Currants should never be left too thick of Vi^ood ; and a 

 gteat deal depends on the management of them in summer, to 

 have strong and fine wood for the follovi^ing season. If they 

 have been neglected for some ytars, and suffered to run up to 

 long naked wood, they must be cut down near the ground ; 

 they will then set forth fine strong shoots. In this case, I would 

 recommend heading down every other tree, and Cutting the 

 others partially, by taking out every other branch as near as 

 can be to the ground, unless they are trained up with single 

 stems, in which case it will be necessar)^ to cut then'i as near 

 as possible to where the branches begin to break out and form 

 the head* 



In the winter pruning, (in America, this may be done any 

 time between November and the middle of April) you must 

 preserve the strongest and finest shoots, leaving them from 

 nine to eighteen inches long, according to their strength, and 

 from eight to ten inches apart, and as regular as possible from 

 top to bottom of the tree ; taking care to cut out all the dead 

 and weak shoots. Pay particular attention in summer, and 

 keep the middle of the bush open to admit the sun and air ; 

 preserving the finest and strongest shoots that are nearest the 

 Stem. Some are fond of training- them up with single stems, 

 to a considerable height, to form fine round heads, w^hich are 

 very ornamental, if not suffered to run up too high ; as in that 

 case they are liable to be broken by the wind, if not well sup- 

 ported by stakes. Care must be taken not to let the shoots run 

 to more than six inches long ; because such short shoots will 

 not be so liable to be damaged by the wind as long and weak 

 ones are, especially when loaded with fruit. I prefer dwarfs 

 from three to four feet high. 



The same manner of pruning &c. will do for Black Cur- 

 rants ; but, as they grow stronger than the Red or White, the 

 shoots should be left thinner, and laid in longer, which will 

 make them produce larger and finer fruit. 



Those against walls and palings should have the shoots 

 laid in thinner than those in the quarters, and trained as hori- 

 zontally as possible, shortening them in the winter pruning, 

 to a foot or eighteen inches, according to the strength of the 

 shoots. 



As currants are very liable to be devoured by ear-wngs, 

 which take shelter under their leaves and branches, bundles of 



