Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1837-1839, 1838-09-15
The CurTaEt.

| The currant is very hardy, grows freely, and
almost uniformly bears plentiful crops; the pleas
ant FAVOR OF the fruit is we'll known, and ripen-
ing early IN summer when but few kinds Of fruit
arc yet mature, II becomes very valuable.
As to the soil, Loudon says, lit generally docs
IN any common garden-ground, well titled and
recruited; 1t bears the greater crop In a strong
loan, or improved clay, somewhat moist; the
earlier IN light sandy mould, which is not poor.
Precious to planting, the ground should be dug
two feet Deep
The mode of propogating the currant is by
cuttings. The shoots for this purpose are TO be
OF last years production and Of vigorous straight
and thrifty growth. Before planting, every bud
IS to be cut OFT closely except two three
the top, to prevent too many stems growing
They should be inserted at least six or eight
inches into the earth. Instead OF allowing nu-
merous shoots to spring up from each root. they
should be trained TO single upright to the
height of foot, at which point the branches
should radiatc on all sides, In an upward dIrcc-
ton, SO as to torn a handsome spreading top.
Currants, accoun. of their hardness, are
commonly totally neglected in culture, and are
suffered to become oVerrun with grass and weeds
and to become crowded with suckers and nufner-
Gus supertluous branches. Inferior fruit is al
WAYS the result. To prevent this and ncrea
the flavor and size of the fruit, they require pro-
per and seasonabe pruning, as well as the cult-
walton of the soil. The leading requisite to be
l
shoots especially those Of leas, thrifty growt h
and also old, unproduc,ive branches, SO that air
and light may be freely admitted, and the fruit
not too much crowded upon the bushes Neill,
author of the treatise on Horticulture in the Ed
inburgh Encyclopedia, says that Macdonald Of
DaIkeith House, raises currants of the finest
quality. A good deal depends on the way in
which he manages the bushes, especially during
the ripening of the fruit. He pruncs the bushes
at the usual season of mid winter, shortening
the last years shoots down to inch inch
and half. Next summer the plants show plenty
of fruit, and at the same time throw out strong
shoots. AS soon the berries begin to color, he
cuts off the summer shoots to within five six
inches above the fruit. Sun and air thus ge.
free access, and more OF the vigor of the plant
is directed to the fruit: the berries found to
be not only of higher flavor but larger than usual.
kenrick says, MIR A. ID. Williams of Roxbury,
Massachusetts, practices winter pruning on per
fecty similar principles, and with the most decis-
I've results
The Red Currant is the most highly favored
but tho White, being larger and not sour, is by
many preferred to the former. In the Catalogue
of the Horticultural Society of London, are en-
umerated nine varieties OF the red and four of the
white currant. Loudon says, she best the
Red Dutch, Knights large red, Knights swee,
red. and Knights early red. The best white
currant is the White Dutch
The Goosberry,
Is propagated by cuttings, similarly to the cur
rant To succeed well, it should grow in yer.
rich soil. Pruning the goosberry is of still more
/ Importance than that o. the currant The toll
| lowing doctrines arc from Bridgeman
The shoots retained for bearers should be lei
at full length, nearly SO; the first pruning
should be done before the buds swell, 50 as not t
endanser their boiug rubbed of III tho oreI atioiI
| Cut out all supcrfluous shoots, and prun
and
placed lateral or eye; retain sufiiciency OF tn
young well situated iaterals terminals, to foru
successional bearers. In cutting out snperf1u
Gus and dccaved wood, be careful to Iatain
leading shoot at the end of principle branch
The superfluous young laterals, on the good mai
branches, instead of being taken off clean, ma
be cut into little stubs of one two eyes, whlc
will send our fruit buds and spurs. Some pc
sons, not pruning the goosberry bush rigf
principles, cause it to shoot crowded!y, foil
young wood i'll summer, from which the fruit
always small, and does not ripeu freely with fl
. flavor, on which account it is important poiI
in pruning, to keep the middle of the head ope
} and clear, and to let the occasional shortening
), the shoots be sparing and moderate. Betwee
: the bearing branches, keep regulated distane
of at least six inches at the extremt,es, whie
). will render them fertile bearers of good fruit
The goosberry is cultivated with greater cal
land success in England than elsewhere; ar
Lindley enumerates 733 varieties, some of whit
have furnished specimens of single fruit weig
ing an ounce and half But nearly all the En-
fish varieties, and especially those of the lart
size, are wholly unadapt to culture in this cou
c try, on account of miidew; and neither cultur
!, pruning, or any other remedy has been -four
r that can be relied on remedy. There a
5. some smaller varieties, cultivated in gardens
n this country, which entirely free from IT, a
these alone to be recommended here. ),
ficent informaton however, to their name
ha. not been obtained for list 10 be given.
Some of the smaller of the English varietis
), when tested in this climate may be found wortl
. of cultivation. }. }. l..
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