OCR Text |
Show VARIETIES OF SMALL FRUITS Ravages of Green Worms Given as Reason for Neglect of Currants and Gooseberries. Frequent Inquiries along this line indicate a continued interest in growing grow-ing currants and gooseberries. The chief reason they nre not more plentifully grown seems to be the ravages rav-ages of the green worm. This greedy enemy Is easily controlled, but it requires re-quires prompt attention, and as- the attack is made in a very busy season it is apt to be neglected until fighting Is useless. All varieties of the currant cur-rant are most readily propagated from cuttings of the new wood. The strong and thrifty ones should be selected, and, using a very sharp knife, cut them into six-inch pieces. The ground where these are planted should be plowed deeply and well pulverized, pul-verized, which encourages a good root growth. We must never (in horticultural horticul-tural operations) overlook the fact that a loose and porous soil is necessary neces-sary to a healthy root development. The cuts should, of course, be set big end down, and it matters little If they are set perpendicular or at au angle of 30 degrees. But this is important, im-portant, only an inch, or one bud, must be left above the surface after the soil has been firmed and settled. The best time to do this work is the last half of September. Then the lower end of the cut will callous and roots will start before freezing weather. weath-er. It is then necessary to mulch with an inch of straw or hay or stable litter. lit-ter. This will prevent the heaving out by frost which is liable to ruin" half of the crop unless protected. But It is also possible to grow good bushes by taking off the cuttings in April and jL Currants Keep on Growing for Year If the Old Wood Is Cut Away. planting as described above. But this Is not as sure as the fall planting, because be-cause the callousing and rooting in the fall is just so much time gained, and if a dry period should chance to come before roots have started only a small percentage of the cuts will grow. If you plant on rich soil and give good culture you will at the end of the first season have sturdy bushes one foot or more in height and sometimes two or three shoots. Gooseberry bushes are also frequently frequent-ly grown from cuts as described for currants. But tills Is not the best: method. By far the best method to Increase In-crease the gooseberry is the hilling system. This is an early summer job, say mid June to mid July, according to latitude. Take a single hunch of bushes or a row of them, as the case may be, and bank them up with loose earth. Make the bank broad enough so that, each shoot may retain its natural position po-sition and make it high enough so that only three or four inches of the tops will stick out above the bank. Put In earth enough so that after It set lies the situation will not be materially changed. If this is well done and the season is reasonably wet every branch will send out roots and you will have as many hushes as you have shoots in the bunch. These may be taken away In the fall or early spring and planted when Ihey ar" to remain. To make assurance doubly suro make the bank very broad so that It cannot dry out. That Is all you need. Plenty of moisture anil good, thrifty bushes and you can grow gooseberry plants by the thousand. |