SMALL FEUITS FROM A PllIVATE-GARDEN POINT OF VIEW. 585 



SMALL FRUITS FROM A PRIVATE-GARDEN POINT OF 



VIEW. 



By James Smith, V.M.H. 

 [August 5, 1902.] 



The object in growing small fruits in private gardens should be to aim at 

 keeping up a regular supply of each variety of fruit for as long a period as 

 possible. 



This can be done by planting early and late varieties side by side, and 

 also by planting in different aspects. For instance, Gooseberries grown 

 on a south border will be ripe ten days earlier, or perhaps more, than the 

 same variety planted on a north border. Hence it is very important to 

 have walls, in order to be able to keep up a long succession of each kind 

 of fruit in its season. 



The following is a list of the small fruits which I propose dealing with 

 in this paper : — Currants, Gooseberries, Raspberries, Strawberries, Logan 

 Berry, and the Strawberry-Raspberry. 



Red Currants with Strawberries form an excellent plantation, as the 

 shade of the Currant bushes will, in a measure, help to prolong the bear- 

 ing qualities of the Strawberries. In making a bed of these fruits, the 

 Currants may be planted six feet from row to row, and four feet apart in 

 the rows. This would afford ample space for one row of Strawberries- 

 between the rows of Currants. The latter should be bushy plants, with 

 about a foot of clear stem, as it is not desirable to allow them to become 

 tall, or there would be a difficulty in placing nets over them to keep the 

 birds from the fruit. The Currants should consist of both early and late 

 varieties, so as to prolong the season as much as possible. The Straw- 

 berries may be planted one foot apart, and the second year every alternate 

 plant removed, as by adopting this plan a good crop is secured the first 

 year after planting. Late varieties only should be used, and those selected 

 should be of decidedly sterling merit, such as : — 



'Laxton's Trafalgar,' which is an unexceptionably fine variety for late 

 use ; in fact, every garden should have a plentiful supply. 



' Climax ' is another of excellent stamp, which, with ' Sir Joseph 

 Paxton,' will be found exceedingly useful as mid-season varieties. 



' Eleanor ' is another late variety well adapted for yielding late in the 

 season. 



When birds are much in evidence they must be kept off by means of 

 netting. The plan adopted at Mentmore is to place wire nettiug first all 

 round the beds, four feet high, of one inch mesh. Over the top of this 

 must be placed ordinary garden netting, and a few laths must be fixed 

 over the top to keep this netting in its place. The soil for Strawberries 

 should be made very good before planting, both by deep trenching and 

 adding a good supply of dung in the process. This is very important, for 

 every care should be taken to secure a good crop, or it would not pay for 

 all this extra labour and expense. Before placing the nets on the beds, 



