Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1877-01-18

'"No "1' "''o h'tle room. are exceedingly
fruitful, and unqncstionably add to the at
Effectiveness of the garden. Tie fruit on
standards generally rpens before that ON
bushes, and it also keeps longer. If it is
desired to preserve the fruit as long as pos
sible it is easy to place round each separate
head guard OF netting. This, however. is
not necessary until the fruit from the bushes
has been gathered, for the birds will not at
tack the exposed standard trees so lone. as
any hidden fruit remains on the bushes
which they can eat in comparative peace and
quietness.
L commenced the growing of standard
curr;lnt trees Oh the score of economy and
to save garden ground. My kitchen garden
space was limited. and the demand for cur
rants could not be met. / could rot afford
10 devote another quarter ct the garden to
bush fruit, as scarcity in another form-the
vegetable supply-would have. followed. /
therefore raised Standards and planted some
at intervals among the bushes. planting Il
standard between every third and fourth
bush in every third row. The heads Of these
were formed well above the bushes, and, as
anticipated, the bushes produced. as, freely
as ever, and large supply in addition was
given by the standards above them.
also planted standards on the wall bor-
ders near to the edge next to the walks
The trees were planted Is inches from the
walk, and IL feet from tree to tree. The
stems were 81 feet high, and the heads were
formed from two to three feet in diameter.
1t was surprising the quantity of fine fruit
that was produced by these standards, and
with no apprsciable loss OF ground. True
q root or two Of early potatoes were sacli-
feed in one part of the border, and 4 few
lettnccs in another; but these triIiing losses
We're not felt, while the crops OF currants
trees also added much to the ornamentaton
of the garden, and were generally admired
for their appearance.
The trees raised from cuttings, In the
ordinary manner Of raising trees from cut
tings, shortjointed, medium-sized shoots
are selected. cutting out the lower eyes and
shortening the tops of the cuttings to the
required height. leaving three or four buds
on the top of each. In raising standards |
found another plan. quicker and better. |
selected the most robust shoots, carefully
removing all the base buds, but not short
eni.g the cuttings. leaving the terminal bud
of each untouched. These cuttings were
often three feet long to begin with. and
when carefully planted in 4 north border
they invariably rooted and did well. They
lowing summer made little growth, but in
the season following they grew more than
the required height. aud were shortened ac-
corllinely al the winters prunin. and the
heads formed.
found, however that a season was gain
ed by grating roots on to the cuttings. A
piece of bushy, fibrous root was dug up and
its thick end cut into the shape of a wedge;
this was inserted into an upward slit made
near the lower end of the cutting and secur-
Ell with piece Of mating. When this was
neatly and quickly done, and the cutting
with its new root planted without any delay.
thus avoiding drying. rarely knew fail
IRE to occur. and the cutting so grated grew
TO the required height the first season.
Standard currants, of course, require
stakes to support them. 1t is important that
these be sound and firm. and the ligatures
must also be strong. The stakes must be
placed close up to the heads, or during
rough wind the head of the tree may be
broken of near the topmost ligature. Es-
pecially to those having small gardens, and
who desire them TO be as profitable as possi-