CURRANT 



425 



Currant. — As the currant is one of the hardiest and most productive 

 of fruits in the North, so is it often neglected, the patch allowed to 

 become foul with grass, never thinned or trimmed, the worms eating 

 the leaves until, in the course of time, the plants weaken and die. 

 Along the fence is no place to plant currants, or, indeed, any other fruit; 

 plant out in the open, at least 5 feet from anything that will interfere 

 with cultivation, 



Xo fruit crop will respond more readily to good care than the currant. 

 Clean cultivation and a liberal use of manure or fertilizers will certainly 

 be followed by well-paying crops. One- or two-year-old plants may be 

 set, 4 by 6 feet. Trim the bush by cutting off most of the suckers below 

 the surface of the ground. The currant should have cool moist soil. 

 If the season is dry, a mulch of straw or leaves will assist the plants to 

 establish themselves. 



Currants are easily propagated by mature cuttings of the new or 

 previous year's canes. 



The red and white currants bear mostly on two-year-old or older 

 wood. A succession of young shoots should be allowed to grow to 

 take the place of the old bearing wood. Cut out the canes as they grow 

 older. The partial shade afforded by a young orchard suits the currant 

 well, and if the ground is in good condition, no bad results will follow 

 to the orchard, provided the currants are removed before the trees need 

 the entire feeding space. 



A currant patch should continue in good bearing for 10 to 20 years, 

 if properly handled. One very important point is to keep the old, weak 

 canes cut out, and a succession of two to four new ones coming from the 

 root each year. 



To combat the currant worm, spray thoroughly with Paris green to 

 kill the first brood, j ust as soon as holes can be seen in the lower leaves 

 — usually before the plants are in bloom. For the second brood, if it 

 appear, spray with white hellebore (p. 203). For borers, cut out and 

 burn the affected canes. 



Varieties of currants. 



In most sections the Red Dutch will be found to be the most satis- 

 ' factory variety, as the plants are much less injured by borers than are 

 Cherry (Plate XXIII), Fay, and Versailles, which are larger and better 



