200 



SMALL FRUIT CULTURIST. 



cuttings taken from the plants as they grow in the open 

 ground. They should he taken off as soon as the plants 

 have made a growth of two or three inches. Slip off the 

 young growth close to the old wood, and plant the same 

 as other green wood cuttings in a frame, propagating 

 house, or under bell glasses. 



These green cuttings require but a moderate degree of 

 heat, and will often succeed in a half shady situation in 

 the open ground if covered with glass. It is better, how- 

 ever, with very rare kinds, to take up the plants in fall, 

 and put them in a pot and set in a propagating house ; 

 then take off the young wood, as soon as it is large enough 

 for cuttings ; in this manner every shoot that appears can 

 be made a strong plant by spring. 



Peopagatiox by Suckers. — This was formerly a more 

 common method of propagating than at present, but 

 plants produced in this manner are not usually as good as 

 those from cuttings. The suckers that spring from the 

 roots are slipped off close at their base, and then planted 

 out, as usual with other plants. 



Propagation by Layers. — Branches, when bent down 

 and covered with soil, or even pegged to the surface and 

 then covered with a mulch, will readily take i-oot. 



The spring is the best time to perform this operation, 

 because the layer will become well rooted by autumn. 

 Leave the end of the branch uncovered, only burying that 

 portion on which it is desirable to produce roots. 



In the fall, separate the layer from the parent plant, and 

 heel-in until spring. Cuttings grow so readily, that the 

 last two named methods of propagation are but seldom 

 practiced with the Currant. 



SOIL AND CULTIVATION. 



The Currant is a plant that possesses great vitality, and 

 will grow in almost any kind of soil or situation, but to 

 bring it to perfection, and make its culture profitable, it 



