62 



EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



The leaves when bruised are odourless, and the leaf stalks are shorter and more 

 decidedly hairy with the hairs extending further up the stalk. 



In the hybrids the leaves are intermediate in form (Fig. 3), and almost a« deeply 

 cleft at the junction of the lobes as are those of the gooseberry. The serrations 

 are also of an intermediate character, being less pointed than in the black currant 

 and less rounded than in the gooseberry. The leaves of most of the hybrids have 

 no odour when bruised, except in two instance* where the black currant odour 

 is faintly perceptible. The leaf stalks are more 

 hairy than those of the black currant, but less 

 hairy than those of the gooseberry. 



Fig. 2.— Leaf of Gooseberry. 



Fig. 3. — Leaf of Hybrid : Black currant with 

 Gooseberry. 



The flowers of the black currant are borne 

 on long bunches of seven to twelve (See figure 

 4), whereas in the gooseberry they are usually 

 in pairs and occasionally there are three in a 

 cluster. (Fig. 5.) In the hybrids they are 

 borne in clusters of from four to seven. (Fig. 

 6.) In the structure of the pistil of the flower 

 there is also a notable difference. In the black 

 currant the pistil is single, smooth throughout, 

 and somewhat thickened and robust towards 

 the tip, which is flat and blunt (See figure 

 lb.) In the gooseberry it is longer and divided 

 to the base, both branches being slender and 

 very hairy for nearly half their length, the 

 slender divisions diverging towards the tip. 

 (See figure 7c.) In the hybrids the pistil is 

 single for about half its length or more, but 

 divided towards the tip, and the divisions 

 divergent. (See figure 7a.) There are also 

 Fig. 4.— Flowers of Black currant. diSerences in the time of blooming. The 



flowers of the gooseberry are open some days before those of the black currant ; while 



those of the hybrids are intermediate in that respect. 



