86 
state onwards, the White Dutch, (which is, indeed, a very 
superior berry) will require double the amount of stimulus in 
tlie soil to that of the Red Currant. The Red Currant, in the 
final planting, will merely require deep digging, in ordinary 
cases; if, however, the soil be poor, some manure may be added ; 
always remembering, that the Red kinds — naturally inclined to 
gross growth, will develope less of the fruit-bearing side spurs 
when over-grown, than when of moderate strength. The White 
Dutch, on the contrary, will prove fruitful, as well as luxuriant, 
with a most generous soil ; and no marvel, for we have had a 
crop of berries of this kind, which would, doubtless, have weighed 
nearly as much as the bush itself. They are generally, more- 
over, so thoroughly swollen and fed, that the most unpractised 
eye would readily perceive that the constitution of the plant 
must be heavily taxed in perfecting them. The Red and White 
kinds, therefore, should always be planted on separate plots. 
Their general treatment, as to pruning, is very similar ; both 
requiring a summer’s pruning ; and we need scarcely add, both 
a winter’s dressing. The white Dutch, however, will not, under 
ordinary circumstances, require more than half the amount of 
curtailment, whether summer or winter, that the red kind re- 
quires. The Dutch or larger variety of Currant, is vei'y apt to 
grow unwieldy in the young shoots, — especially where manure 
is used. In such cases, the annual shoots are very liable to 
be broken by sharp gusts of wind and rain, which so frequently 
occur, in our variable climate, in the latter part of June, or 
early part of July. It is, therefore, far better to put the bushes 
under a course of summer pruning betimes, in order to pre- 
vent such denudation, and disarrangement of the young spray. 
Our practice is, to pass the shears over them, in the middle of 
June, merely cutting away the points of the over-grown shoots, 
which form the summit of the bushes. This, termed "stopping,” 
has been hitherto very imperfectly understood; but it has been 
growing in favour for some time, with most of our best fruit cul- 
tivators. In another fortnight we reduce the extremities of the 
side spray in like manner; taking care, however, not to admit 
too much sunshine on the fruit. This practice should be under- 
stood as applicable to strong growing bushes only ; for when 
the bushes are old, or of very moderate growth, such stopping 
is, in many cases, superfluous. The White Dutch, in fact. 
