160 
JOUENAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
roadsides, or in fields, the bushes being from 1 to 1^ metres apart, 
and each yielding about 1 kilo, of fruit, value 30 to 50 centimes, 
according to the relative plenty or scarcity of the season. Five 
thousand bushes can be grown on 1 hectare, and according to 
the average yield one can reckon that 1,500,000 bushes will give 
10,000 hectolitres of liqueur dc cassis, or Black Currant spirit. 
The Dijon manufactory uses annually 2,000,000 kilos, of Black 
Currants, bought at GO to 70 francs per 100 kilos., and it is 
evident that the plantations extending from Malain to Chagny, 
although very extensive, are not sufficient by themselves to 
supply the great demand made by the distilleries. 
The Aube hills, which produce the excellent Eicey wine, are 
now also used for Currant plantations, the fruit produced being 
bought up by the Cote-d'Or distilleries. When Black Currants 
are scarce a proportion of leaves and young shoots are mixed 
under pressure with the fruit; for, although inferior, they con- 
tain to a certain extent the essential and distinctive pro- 
perties and flavour of the fruit. 
The Paris market receives its supplies of Black Currants 
partly from the neighbouring country, but more especially from 
the Montmorency valley. Paris receives in one year 5,000,000 
kilos, of Bed and White Currants, and 2,100,000 kilos, of Black 
Currants. Not far from Paris fields of Black Currants are to be 
seen, planted in rows or squares — between Mantes and Vernon, 
and at ]^oissy-Saint-L6ger, Mcry-sur-Oise, round about Grignon, 
and at Bccaux, liosny, &c. There are also vast plantations at 
Pantin, near the Vaujours fort. The bushes are planted as much 
as 2 metres apart, which enables the plough to be used in 
between them. A grower recently planted 35 hectares for the 
purpose of supplying a distillery. It is estimated that 1 hectare 
will yield about 8,000 kilos, of fruit, at 50 to 70 francs per 100 
kilos. ; therefore the net profit should be 1,000 francs. 
At Langres there is an enclosure of 3 hectares of Black 
Currant bushes ten years old, planted 1^ metres apart. The 
18H2 crop sold wholesale at CO francs per 100 kilos., and 
yielded 13,000 francs to tlie owner, out of which lie had to pay 
tl;e gathering expenses, at the rate of 45 centimes the basket of 
12 kilos. Good workmen can earn up to 5 and 0 francs a day 
at the picking, (tc. The purchaser packs the fruit on the spot 
and despatches it in casks to his manufactory near Paris. 
