29 



The Victoria ripens unevenly like the Champion and is also of late season, 

 though not quite as late as Champion. The fruit is large, but in medium-sized 

 clusters only. 



The Boskoop Giant black currant has been attracting considerable attention of 

 late, and if it lives up under general culture to advance promises, it should prove 

 one of our most valuable commercial varieties combining, as it does, size and 

 quality of fruit, size of bunch and productiveness. It is most highly commended by 

 growers who have given it a good test. 



The Saunders, another of Dr. Saunders' seedlings, is a most promising com- 

 mercial variet}', and has been under general culture for some years now. It is a 

 very productive variety and a strong grower. 



Kerry is considered by Mr. Macoun to be one of the most promising for com- 

 mercial purposes on account of its great productiveness and quality of fruit. Clipper 

 and Climax are also strong growing productive new varieties of medium to late 

 season, and with Eclipse, an early season currant, are very highly thought of at 

 the Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa. In a table Mr. Macoun has worked 

 out, based on the productiveness of the different varieties of black currants, Saunders 

 comes second. Kerry third, Clipper sixth, Eclipse seventh, Collins^ Prolific eighth 

 and Climax ninth. Tlnee other varieties, Ogden, Ontario and Eagle, occupying 

 first, fourth and fifth places respectively, are not considered as good as the 

 former varieties for various reasons, such as quality, evenness of ripening, etc. 

 It is worthy of more than passing notice that the usually recommended varieties 

 occupy the last half of the table mentioned, which included thirty-three varieties. 

 Lee is twenty-second. Champion thirtieth. Victoria thirty-first and Naples thirty- 

 third. Locality, of course, might have something to do with this low showing of 

 these varieties, though Mr. Macoun thinks not, but thinks the newer varieties, 

 Kerry, etc., are simply better. 



If Kerry, Clipper, Eclipse and Climax cannot be obtained from any of the 

 nurseries, cuttings can be secured from the Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa. 

 Collins' Prolific has been on the market for some time, and is considered one of the 

 best commercial late varieties, though, quality and productiveness combined, it is 

 not equal to the former varieties. 



Gooseberries. — Pearl, Downing, Red Jacket, Smith's Improved, of the Ameri- 

 can varieties, and Whitesmith, Industry and Kee]\*ake, of the English varieties, are 

 generally considered to be the best. 



The Pearl and Doivning gooseberries are very similar in size and appearance, 

 the Pearl averaging perhaps a little larger. These two and the Red Jacket or 

 Josselyn are the three most popular gooseberries of American origin. They are all 

 free from mildew, vigorous and very productive. The Downing is -probably the 

 most widely planted in Canada. The Smith's Improved, a seedling of Houghton, 

 originated on the American side and is well recommended bv American growers. 

 It is not as well known in Ontario as the Pearl and Downing, but is highly spoken 

 of by several Canadian growers. L. B. Tlenry highly recommends it, placing it 

 before Red Jacket. 



Houghton, nn American variety not included in those recommended, is a very 

 productive variety of good quality, sweet-flavored fruit, and until the advent of the 

 Downing, it was the most popular gooseberry. The fruit, however, is small, though 

 it is a very hardy variety and perhaps should therefore be iiicludod in the recom- 

 mended list. It will thrive where many of our otherwise better \arioties will suffer 

 from the severe winters, probably being the onlv variety of nici-il that will thrive 

 in the Prairie Provinces. 



