The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-05-15

The Culture of Currants.

There are many Thugs TO be taken int
consideration before man should attcmp
the culture Of currants upon an EXTENDED
scale and for profit. Success will depend Il!
much upon favorable climate and soil as upoI
the varieties and after culture, supposing TIT
question of good market for the fruit is let
entirely out of the account. In the first place
the choice varieties do not thrive in very
hot climate, or where severe droughts occur
in summer, tor if the cool, moist weather ex
tends sufficiently late to insure the ripcnine
of the fruit, followed by hot dry weather
the leaves will drop, and after a period OF
rest new ones will appear and perhaps q
second crop in time to be cut off by the first
trosts in autumn: the final results being a
slow, lingering, but certain death to the plan
tatiUn. cool climate and assessor Just long
enough 10 insure full maturity of the fruits
and plants before frosts is the best, all things
considered, for the currant. y hundred
miles north of the latitude Of New York
is a better climate for the curraut than the
same distance south; still, by proper selec,
ton of soil and by varying the system OF
culture, this fruit is made to succeed over
quite wide range of country.
Next in importance to a cool, moist climate
is a cool, deep, rich soil and one of rather
compact or clayey nature is preferable to a
may be. Light, warm soils, not naturally
suited to the currant, may be made to pro-
duce good results by the free use OF some
kind OF mulch. In fact, mulching currant
plantations can be practiced quite probably
in nearly all locations throughout the Middle
States AS n cool, moist soil is preferable to
one Of an opposite character, the cultivator
should seek this at the start but guard against
making the mistake inNpplying. these terms
and select one that Is cold and wet. Low
grounds likely to be overlooked or near
streams will seldom answer, because the
fruit is liable to be injured by frost in spring
High, open grounds are better than low, pro-
tected situations for currants, especially IN
moderately warm climates; then to make the
soil cool and moist work deeply and add
manure if necessary. The further south the
deeper should be the soil, and in the vicinity
of Washington, ID. G., nothing less than
working it over TO tho depth of eighteen in
ches would satisfy me for q Currant planta-
ton. With such Il depth of good, fertile pull
verified soil one might reasonably expect to
defy pretty severe drought. and especially
if light mulch was applied in spring.
There are many excellent varieties in cult
walton, but there is little difference III the
amount Of profit to be derived per acre be
tween the very largest, like the cherry cur
ItGl, VI lHDSt vi lHtlIulll SlECr lIhG tlN N'lli
mon red Dutch. The first Will command the
largest price per pound, but the latter yield
the greatest number per acre. If a man de
sires the veryslargest Of the red varieties he
cannot do better than to take the cherry and
La Versailles. For white sorts, white grape
and white Dutch, Black Naples Is one Of the
best of its class
In planting Il is we'll to allow room enough
between the plants oadmit OF easy cultivation
and gathering "' the fruit. -Four feet apart
each way will ISSer very well, although the
plants may 10 rather scattering for the
first year or tvs but less distance is scarcely
practicable oH oh soils Some cultivatOrSI
give more roo. Tween the rows, say five
feet and less = Scen the plants, but under
either arrangement we get about the same
number of Pics per acre. Four feet by four
allows 2,722 pc acre, and five by tarec 200i.
Good, strong plants, when three orfour years
old, should YELL IN an average four pounds
EACH and double of this would not be an cX.I
traordinary product, S. FNt'cy, tn Nc"I
York Trjblipr