The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-11-27
A Lady's Garden.

whose questions we answered as well
as we could, some time since, writes
again as follows:
You advise me to raise currants,
provided have market for them, and
can, with the aid of my niece, do the
light work myself, adding that our
health may improve by outdoor work.
l have no such market, but perhaps
could make one in time. There are
several small villages within few
miles, but not much money in them
save for the necessities of life. One
woman sold 5000 worth this year.
SOD Had | better try the experiment?
AS to outdoor work, | will say that
during suitable weather | have always
been out great deal, even when my
back was so weak that | was obliged to
creep. Should have died years ago had
| staid indoors as do some. | think
we can, by little aid perhaps, perform
this lighter work. My land is about
twice as long as wide, a knoll being
about midway the length, so there is
slant (not very abrupt toward either
end of the piece.
"(2) Would you have the rows of
bushes run lengthwise or widthwise the
piece?
"(3) What proportion of red and
Chite currants?
{" az Have you both the Fay's Nam
moth Prolific and the White Grape for
sale?
go Had l better order cuttings or
year-old plants?
6) How near may the plants be
set in the rows and how near can the
rows be to each other? Red raspberries
do well here. These are abundant on
hillside pastures, but of course in
ferior to the cultivated varieties.
Black-caps are unknown.
go Do you think it would pay to
try their introduction, or use simply
the red varieties, or give my entire at
tention to currants?
(S) Is there any way to keep the
birds (Which are Uery troublesome
away?"
REPLY.-O We think you had.
If you have an express office near, cur
rants can be shipped away by the
bushel (using quart baskets packed in
crate the same as strawberries). We
get a good many orders for them, even
in New Hampshire. 1t is about the
easiest fruit to sell there is, and one of
the most profitable, with the great adj
vantage over strawberries and rasp-
berries that there is no hurry about
picking them, as they remain quite
good for several weeks after they are
ripe.
(2) 1t is best to have the rows as
long as possible for the convenience of
horse culture.
(3) We have never had much call for
white currants, as the sale is mostly for
jelly, and buyers think jelly from white
currants would not be red, which is
mistake, but one not easy to correct.
The jelly of white currants is quite red,
though of a lighter, more pinkish shade.
The White Grape currant is far better
than any red currant for eating fresh,
being not nearly as sour. Many, how
ever, who use currants as a dessert
together; and there is hardly a hand
somer dish than the Fay and White
Grape currants thus served.
(4) All general nurserymen keep an
assortment of the varieties in demand.
(5) That depends upon whether you
are in much of a hurry. The differ
ence in cost is but small, and two-year
plants are preferable.
Co Plants three to four feet in the
rows, and the rows five to six feet
apart. The wider distance is the bet
ter; and while the plants are small,
strawberries, beans and other garden
crops will thrive in and between the
rows. We grow our currants in our
young orchards, the shade being rather
an advantage.
CD We should certainly advise grow
ing variety of small fruits, and, next
to currants, the Black-cap raspberries
are the easiest to grow, while any sur
plus, if nicely dried, will find a ready
sale. The Black.caps have no "suck-
ers " Sprouts from the roots), and are
much harder, every way, than the
other kinds. Yet it may be well to
try some of these too.
(S) Cats, nets and Gathering wind
mills. A stuffed cat or two, set under
the bushes, does well for awhile,