234 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
April 4 
matter in its green state. The one objection to plow¬ 
ing under these green crops in autumn, is the liability 
to the escape of nitrogen, and to guard against this, I 
sow the field to rye or wheat. The roots of these 
plants will catch and hold the nitrogen through late 
fall and early spring, till the ground is ready to be 
occupied with some more valuable crop. 
Another plan is to drill in the peas or beans 3 to 3}£ 
feet apart, and when well growing late in July or 
early August, sow clover between the rows. The 
young plants will make but little growth for two 
months in the shade of the beans or peas ; but as soon 
as frost comes and lets in sunlight, the clover will 
begin to grow, not only holding the nitrogen gathered 
by these other plants, but daily gathering from the 
air more unto itself, as well as with its deep feeding 
roots bringing up from the soil below, mineral 
elements not reached by other crops. In Connecticut, 
I prefer the Crimson to the Red clover, as it comes to 
maturity several weeks earlier in spring, in ample 
time to be plowed under, so that the land is available 
for all but the earliest spring crops. Of course, if 
one can spare the land earlier than July, the cow 
peas or beans can be put in much earlier, and make a 
proportionately heavier growth in the longer season, 
while the clovers, being hardy, may be sown late in 
August and make a full growth of top and root by 
the next June. 
When and How to Start Green Crops. 
The last of July is the best season of the year to 
put in clover seed for surety of crop, and it may well 
be cultivated in between the rows of corn or other 
field crops at the last cultivation of midsummer. The 
clover will make a moderate growth, while the main 
crops occupy the ground, and when these are re¬ 
moved, it can attend to its special business of grow¬ 
ing and trapping nitrogen. On my own farm, which 
is devoted entirely to fruit production or nursery 
plants and trees, potash and phosphoric acid are the 
essential elements in fruit production, while for tree 
and plant growth, nitrogen is more largely required. 
In young orchards where I wish to crowd a rapid tree 
growth, my plan is to crowd culture by frequent 
plowing and harrowing through May, June and early 
July, and then by sowing the ground to clover, its 
vigorous growth during the late summer and fall 
checks tree growth so that wood and buds ripen up 
early in best condition to stand the frosts of winter. 
To get the full benefit of the clover growth the fol¬ 
lowing spring, we are unable 'to plow the orchard 
quite as early as would be best; still with Crimson 
clover, we are able to get it in full bloom by May 20, 
turn it under, and continue liberal culture till clover 
is sown again, and so on year after year ; of course, 
annually supplying what phosphoric acid and potash 
is required for a properly balanced ration. Where 
there is no danger of winterkilling of trees and 
plants, even though they do make strong growth late 
in summer and early fall, an enormous growth can be 
stimulated by sowing peas or beans in drills, between 
the trees in early summer, and the culture of one 
would answer for the other ; then, by plowing under 
the peas in August and sowing clover, nitrogen traps 
could be kept at work throughout the entire growing 
season. In the nursery, where it is essential to grow 
the largest tree or plant in the shortest space of time, 
I find that one good crop of cow peas is equivalent to 
a liberal dressing of stable manure, and at one-tentli 
the cost. While, if I can spare the land for a year, 
and grow a full crop of both peas and clover, results 
show that I have added to the soil more organic mat¬ 
ter and nitrogen than would be had, even by a very 
heavy dressing of stable manure. 
Useful for General Farming, Too . 
My farming is such that all crops grown for green 
manuring, are turned under, root and branch ; but 
upon stock farms, where it is desirable to preserve as 
much forage as possible, green manuring may be 
made to join hands with the production of hay or 
other forage. Thus, one of the mowing fields, after 
haying, may be plowed and sown to clover, from 
which a full crop of clover hay may be cut the next 
June. A month later, the second growth and roots 
plowed under will leave the ground richer than it was 
the year previous. This plan may be followed several 
years with profit, and finally, a full crop of clover be 
turned under in time for the planting of corn, or some 
other staple product. 
The southern planter shows his appreciation of the 
value of cow peas, by planting his corn rows wide 
apart, and in midsummer, planting a row of cow peas 
between each row of corn ; this so enriches the land, 
that the corn is planted the following year along the 
row where the peas were the year previous, and cow 
peas along the old corn row, and by alternating in 
this way, full crops of corn are produced, year after 
year, without expense for other fertilizers. This same 
plan, on a modified scale, might well be practiced 
here at the North with many of our field crops, just 
how, when and what to do, depending entirely upon 
local conditions. Of course, a wise business policy 
would suggest the application of some phosphoric 
acid and potash, rather than always to draw it from 
the soil. In fact, in all this talk of green manuring, 
we must not forget that all these plants can add to 
the soil is organic matter and nitrogen ; we must buy 
the other elements of plant food, or impoverish our 
land. 
While a thorough believer in the science and prac¬ 
tice of green manuring, and knowing that, if intelli¬ 
gently practiced on every farm in the country, it 
would annually add millions of dollars to the wealth 
of the nation, I do not recommend it as a cure-all 
for that “tired feeling” in agriculture. Yet what 
manufacturer is there who, if one-third of his raw 
material could be had free for the asking, would not 
accept it, especially if it came from Mother Nature 
and not from the other fellow. Of course, under any 
plan of green manuring, only leguminous plants 
should be used, for it is only these that, through the 
tubercl-es that grow upon their roots, are able to trap 
and hold the free nitrogen of the air. Rye, wheat, 
buckwheat, corn stover, etc., gather no nitrogen, and 
are only of value for the organic matter that they add 
to the soil ; therefore, in any attempt to work out the 
nitrogenous salvation of your farms and pocket-books, 
hold fast to the clovers, cow peas and soja beans. 
MORE ABOUT CURRANT CULTURE. 
Some Lessons of Forty Years. 
I was very much interested in C. A. Green's article 
on new ideas in currant culture. I hope that he may 
be successful in producing as large fruit as he saw in 
Belgium, but I doubt it ; in my opinion, one very 
essential element will be lacking, andthat is, climate. 
The currant delights in a cool, moist climate and 
soil ; it is not grown successfully on the warm, sandy 
soils of New Jersey and farther south, and even in 
this State, succeeds best on deep, moist soils (not wet). 
My father commenced the growing of currants in a 
commercial way on this farm, about 40 years ago, and 
it has been continued ever since. Naturally, we have 
learned some things about them during this period. 
Clean culture, abundance of fertility, and judicious 
pruning, is our motto for successful production of 
fruit. I would use the plow as little as possible, de¬ 
pend on the cultivator, and aim not to disturb the 
roots. I think that many make a mistake in the 
beginning, in not planting deep enough ; set deep. I 
agree with Mr. Green about cutting out wood that has 
borne four or five crops ; one cannot grow fine cur¬ 
rants on old wood. 
In regard to the falling of the blossoms and young 
fruit, we have generally ascribed it to cold spells, that 
are likely to occur at that time. Some seasons, we 
have much more such weather than in others. 1 have 
also noticed that overloaded bushes drop worse than 
those having a lighter crop, which may strengthen 
Mr. Green’s views, as, being caused by disturbance of 
the roots, Nature in this case removes a portion of 
the crop to offset the root pruning. I shall be inter¬ 
ested in Mr. Green’s experiments. j. u. c. 
Newburgh, N. Y. 
Gooseberries and Currants in Vermont. 
Those who desire to engage more or less largely in 
the cultivation of fruits, usually and very properly, 
begin with the small fruits ; among these, I have al¬ 
ways, in Northern Vermont, found currants and 
gooseberries by far the most satisfactory and profit¬ 
able. If there be any limit to the demand for them, 
I have not yet found it; and I keep on enlarging my 
area of these fruits from year to year. 
The chief faults in currant culture, as I have ob¬ 
served it, are the lack of clean culture, and the lack 
of shade. The currant is a native plant in northern 
New England ; and its preferred habitat is near the 
edge of a wood, and near to water. The same charac¬ 
teristics are also found in our native gooseberry; and in 
fact, the two are often seen growing together, in the 
wild state. The currants of Europe closely resemble 
our natives ; but I have not found the latter generally 
so productive; though by selection, as it has, no 
doubt, been followed for a long time in Europe, pro¬ 
ductive varieties might be developed. 
Though, as a native, the currant favors moist soils, 
yet in cultivation, it does well in a dry one when well 
enriched, and with some degree of shade. I have had 
very much the best results, in all respects, from 
planting my currants and gooseberries between the 
rows of trees in young orchards. This gives sufficient 
shade, and not too much. There is also an incidental 
advantage in the shade given the pickers. 
As to varieties, the larger ones are much preferred 
by purchasers, not only for looks, but also for the de¬ 
creased labor in preparing the fruit for use. My 
plants are kept free from grass and weeds, which also 
benefits the fruit trees; while between the rows, 
beans grow well. By this method, the young orchards 
are made more than to pay their way from the start. 
The currants and gooseberries thus treated continue 
to thrive for a good many years, their cost being very 
small ; as in a tilled orchard (and I would have no 
other) the same culture is required, whether the 
small fruit is grown or not. 
As to profit, I find currants and gooseberries a far 
better money crop than strawberries or raspberries ; 
the selling prices are about the same. Most of the 
gooseberries are sold while green. I have several 
varieties of both in my grounds, but have planted 
only the Fay currant, and the Red Jacket gooseberry, 
since. The R. N.-Y. called attention to their merits. 
And, by the way, The R. N.-Y. has in the past 30 
years, put a good deal of money in my way by its rec¬ 
ommendations of valuable novelties; I would not 
hesitate, at any time, to make large orders, solely on 
its recommendation. I may add that it saved me some¬ 
thing in warning me as to the “ Japanese Wineberry.” 
Vermont. t. h. hoskins. 
Mulching the Ground for Currants. 
This subject was briefly touched upon by 0. A. 
Green in his article “ Ne "' Ideas in Currant Culture,” 
page 174. I wish to add a word of testimony in favor 
of the practice. A few currants are grown upon the 
station grounds, and it has been my opportunity to 
make observations upon them during two successive 
seasons. The location is on the crest of a ridge where 
the plants are liable to suffer in a dry season. Irriga¬ 
tion has never been practiced. The soil is a rather 
light, sandy loam which has been fertilized abund¬ 
antly in years past. Each spring, the ground is well 
covered with marsh hay, and no cultivation is prac¬ 
ticed except to eradicate an occasional weed which 
finds its way through the mulch. The results have 
been very satisfactory. The bushes produced excel¬ 
lent crops of fruit during both the seasons of 1891 
and 1895. The mulch conserves moisture and, at the 
same time, prevents the weeds from growing. 
The chief objection to mulching, probably, lies in 
the fact that the mulch provides an excellent place 
for insects to hibernate ; but, perhaps, this is not 
sufficiently serious to condemn the practice, and will 
be thrown out of account entirely if the mulch be re¬ 
placed late in the fall. As the currants were not sub¬ 
ject to an experiment, and all were treated in the 
same manner, I am not able to say that better crops 
were produced because of the mulch, but it is certain 
that an excellent yield was obtained. 
Of the four varieties—Fay, Cherry, Versaillaise and 
White Grape, the Fay is the most satisfactory here, 
all things considered. The berries are larger and 
more uniform in size, color and time of ripening, than 
is the case with the other varieties. It is true that 
the Fay is rather unsatisfactory as regards habit of 
growth, but in my opinion, this is more than counter¬ 
balanced by the good points that it possesses. The 
plants were set some five or six years ago, three feet 
apart in the row, in rows six feet apart. So far, little 
or no pruning has been given them, except to remove 
stalks infested with borers ; but this spring some of 
the older stalks will be pruned out. w. e. ihutton. 
Connecticut Experiment Station. 
NOTES ON HORTICULTURAL NOVELTIES. 
No. II. 
Pe-tsai, ok Chinese Cakhage. —Although a num¬ 
ber of Oriental vegetables, are grown about the large 
cities by Chinese gardeners, and several have been 
recently offered by leading seedsmen, none has yet 
made much progress in general cultivation, and in 
truth, most of them are not likely to please the aver¬ 
age gardener. By all odds, the “cabbage” of the 
Chinese (Brassica Pe-tsai) is the most useful of the lot. 
It is not a novelty in the usual sense of the word, as 
it was cultivated in Europe as far back as 1840, and 
has been quite widely tested in this country, but its 
real merits are still known to few. Prof. L. II. Bailey, 
in bulletin No. (57, of Cornell Experiment Station, 
has given the best obtainable account of this and 
other Chinese vegetables. He recommends the l*e- 
tsai as a useful fall and winter vegetable, as in com¬ 
mon with all members of the cabbage tribe, it thrives 
best in cool and moist weather. The seeds are usually 
planted in a seed-bed in June or July; transplanted 
before they begin to crowd, and the heads are ready 
for use in September or October, as they make their 
most rapid leaf growth during the cold weather. The 
“ heads” are not compact like the ordinary cabbage, 
but form a loose roll of leaves like a gigantic Cos let¬ 
tuce, weighing four or five pounds, if well grown. It 
is very palatable and nutritious, and may be cooked 
in any of the ways of common cabbages. The flavor 
is milder and sweeter, approaching more nearly that 
of a well-frosted Savoy cabbage. 
But we have had an abundance of succulen t vege¬ 
tables all summer, and we do not feel the need of ad¬ 
ditional vaiiety in the fall. With this idea in view, 
a trial was made of the Pe-tsai as an early summer 
