HENDERSON'S GARDEN GUIDE AND RECORD. 53 



HAEDY GRAPES.— Continued. 



Summer pruning is of the highest importance. Where the main shoots are growing 

 beyond bounds, they should be pinched back, as this conserves the strength of the vine 

 and also develops laterals; these laterals should be pinched in turn when they become 

 crowded, and in many cases had better be cut back to the second eye. It is also a good 

 practice after the fruit is set, and while it is the size of a small pea, to cut off all the vine 

 beyond the bunch; again, if at any time during the season there appears to be a superabun- 

 dance of foliage, it is a good practice to pinch some of it off, so as to allow a free access of 

 light and air to the bunches. 



The regular pruning may be done at any time from November to March, and while 

 it is almost impossible to tell precisely how each particular vine should be pruned, yet it 

 is safe to say that if all the very light wood is cut away, and the side shoots, to the thickness 

 of a lead pencil or over, are cut back to the eye above where it started from in the spring, the 

 work will be well done. 



CURRANTS do well in any good garden soil, but it is important that they be in an ex- 

 posed situation where they have the full benefit of sunlight and air. The Red or White 

 Currants should be planted three feet apart each way. The Black Currant is a stronger 

 growing and should be planted five feet apart. 



One of the most important points in the cultivation of Currants is pruning. In the 

 fall, as soon as the leaves have fallen, at least one-third of the young growth of the previous 

 summer should be cut away and all the old shoots in the center of the bush should be cut 

 out, the object being to allow free access of air and light into the center of the bush. If 

 desired, Currants can be trained against a stone wall, or fence, and if grown in that way, 

 they may be rJlowed to reach a height of eight or ten feet, taking the same care to prevent 

 overcrowding of the branches. Grown in this way, the fruit is generally larger than when 

 grown in the bush form. 



GOOSEBERRY. The instructions given for the cultivation of the Currant will 

 answer also for the Gooseberry, though a rather heavy, well-drained soil is preferred for 

 the Gooseberry, and a liberal amount of cow manure should be incorporated with the 

 soil. We would also recommend that upon the approach of hot weather a heavy mulch of 

 cow manure, leaves or litter be put around the plants; the object of this is to keep the earth 

 cool and moist, and to develop roots near the surface; if there are surface roots in good 

 working condition, little fear may be entertained of mildew. 



RASPBERRIES are partial to a light, rich, well-drained soil and will do very well 

 where there is a httle shade. They should be planted in rows four feet apart and two 

 feet between the plants in the rows, or they may be planted in separate hills three feet 

 apart each way. Either fall or spring will do for planting, but if planted in fall a covering 

 should be put on the first winter. The canes of the Raspberry are biennial — that is, the 

 cane or shoot that is formed one season bears fruit the next season and dies off after fruiting; 

 for this reason all the canes that have fruited should be cut away close to the ground when 

 the crop is gathered and new shoots allowed to develop. No more than five or six should 

 be allowed to each plant; all the others should be cut away. When the shoots that are 

 allowed to grow reach a height of four feet, the tips should be taken out with the thumb 

 and finger, thus stopping the upward growth, and the result will be a development of the 

 side branches, which in turn should be stopped like the main shoot when they have reached 

 about a foot and a half in length. Treated in this way, the plants will become stocky 

 imd self-supporting, and will produce a larger and finer crop of fruit than if allowed to grow 

 in a scrambling manner. 



In very exposed situations in northern latitudes, the canes are not always of ironclad 

 hardiness, and therefore some winter protection is necessary; in any case a covering of four 

 or five inches of dry leaves or litter should be spread over the roots, to do away with any 

 possibility of injury by frost. In localities where it is essential to cover the canes, it is 

 better to bend them down and cover them with pine branches, or with a few inches of earth 

 throwTi over them with a spade. 



BLACKBERRY. The cultivation of the Blackberry is nearly similar to that of the 

 Raspberrv, except that it should be planted about one-third farther apart and, being hardier, 

 there is no need for covering it in winter in this latitude. 



The DEWBERRY is of trailing habit and will do very well at the foot of old walls, 

 or in any out-of-the-way place; it responds readily, however, to good culture. It should 

 be pUuited in rows six feet apart, with the plants three feet apart in the rows, and should 

 be treated the same as Strawberries. Do not let the ground get completely covered with 

 the vines, but keep them trained along the row, allowing a free space between each row 

 for cultivation and for a pathway to pick the fruit. 



