Glasnevin some of the young plants were put out in the 
open, others were retained in pots, and in 1912 one of the 
latter, a female, flowered for the first time. In 1913 this 
plant flowered again; so did another female and, later on, a 
male in the open. Fertilisation was now possible, but from 
the female in the open the flowers dropped just as the ovary 
began to swell; on the pot plant fruit set readily. At Kew, 
where the only plants were in the open, the experience was 
as at Glasnevin, and it is probable that this Ribes will not 
bear regular crops of fruit in the average climate of the 
British Isles owing to the very early date, February, at 
which the flowers expand. It is, however, in this early 
flowering habit that one of the chief merits of this flowering 
currant will reside ; later in the season their greenish colour 
and modest charms would make a less potent appeal. 
Fortunately the flowers of both sexes are able to withstand 
rough cold weather. This species, 2. laurifolium, was first 
described from fruiting specimens and placed by Professor 
Janczewski in his section Davidia of the subgenus Berisia, 
apparently largely owing to the circumstance that Wilson’s 
original specimens had but a few terminal leaves. Though 
it is now found that in this regard R. laurifolium does not 
resemble R. Davidii, Franch. and R. Henryi, Franch.,.the 
other members of the section Davidia, it is clearly a com- 
ponent of the same natural group. A slow grower in all 
three gardens which have contributed to our plate, the 
largest plants being only a foot and a half high, it is quite _ 
hardy, thriving well in a good loamy soil, and is readily — 
propagated by cuttings. The colour of the fruit when ripe 
is not yet fully known. Sir F. Moore, to whom we are 
indebted for much information regarding the species, 
informs us that immediately after fertilisation the fruits of 
his greenhouse plant commenced to swell, the persistent 
calyx also increasing in size, so that in April it was fully 
half as long as the fruit. Thereafter the calyx ceased to 
enlarge and began to change colour. The fruits themselves 
continued to enlarge until the middle of June, remaining, 
however, green and unattractive, in shape like a long 
gooseberry, with the calyx now only one-fifth the length 
of the fruit. In July patches of dark purple appeared on 
the fruits, and as signs of shrivelling manifested themselves 
the specimen was cut and sent to us for incorporation in 
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