At best it
never acquires an agreeable mildness, to my taste. The bushes also
are not so certainly productive, and usually require skilful
pruning and constant fertilizing to be profitable. For the market,
which demands size above all things, the Cherry is the kind to
grow; but in the home garden flavor and productiveness are the
more important qualities. Fay's Prolific is a new sort that has
been very highly praised.
The Victoria is an excellent late variety, which, if planted in a
sheltered place, prolongs the currant-season well into the autumn.
Spurious kinds are sold under this name. The true Victoria
produces a pale-red fruit with tapering clusters or racemes of
berries. This variety, with the three others recommended, gives
the family two red and two white kinds--all that are needed. Those
who are fond of black currants can, at almost any nursery, procure
the Black Naples and Lee's Prolific. Either variety will answer
all practical purposes. I confess they are not at all to my taste.
From the currant we pass on naturally to the gooseberry, for in
origin and requirements it is very similar. Both belong to the
Ribes family of plants, and they are to be cultivated on the same
general principles. What I have written in regard to partial
shade, cool, sheltered localities, rich, heavy soils, good
culture, and especially rigorous pruning, applies with even
greater force to this fruit, especially if we endeavor to raise
the foreign varieties, in cultivating this fruit it is even more
important than was true of raspberries that the reader should
distinguish between the native and foreign species.
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