EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 



225 



2. Ribes grossularia— European Gooseberry. 



3. Ribes hirtellum — Smooth Gooseberry. 



Champion . 

 Houghton . 

 Pale Red.. 



"Vigorous, unproductive, small. 



Very hardy; productive. 



Like Houghton; but more upright. 



The European varieties of this gooseberry can only be successfully and 

 permanently grown and fruited in this country, under exceptionally favor- 

 able conditions; or with special treatment to ward off the mildew, to 

 which they are specially liable. 



Downing and Smith possess certain peculiarities of plant and fruit 

 which, with their tendency to become mildewed, seem to warrant the sus- 

 picion of possible hybridization with some of the Europeans. 



Houghton has few, if any, superiors so far as quality is concerned > and, 

 but for its small size, it would probably deserve to be placed at the head 

 of the list. 



Red Jacket and Triumph are two new varieties planted for trial last 

 spring, and which may be expected to more fully display their qualities 

 next season. 



CHERRIES— Primus. 



The cultivated or improved varieties of the cherry have come to us 

 from Europe; the sweet or Mazzard varieties having, descended from a 

 type known to botanists as Prurms Avium; while the acid and semi-acid 

 families purport to derive their origin from P. Cerasus; said to have been 

 imported by the Romans from Asia. 



The sweet varieties, though usually hardy in southern Michigan, never- 

 theless suffer occasionally, during unusually trying seasons, and for this 

 reason, doubtless, are not extensively planted; while Duke and Morello 

 varieties, being more hardy, constitute the bulk of the plantations. 



Forty -nine varieties of cherry are now growing in the station grounds, 

 of which eighteen varieties are sweet cherries; nineteen Dukes and 

 Morellos; twelve are Russian varieties received from Prof. J. L. Budd of 

 Iowa, and have not yet grown and fruited sufficiently to determine with 

 certainty to which class they are referable. 



The whole number of cherry trees planted and growing is one hundred. 



No appearance of fungus has so far been observed. 



This year, as last, the cherry slug, Eriocampa cerasi, has been persistent 

 in its attacks upon the foliage, continuing its depredations well into the 

 autumn; the destruction of a colony by the application of poisons being, 

 in most cases, soon followed by fresh cohorts, probably, to a large extent, 

 from adjacent, undisturbed sources of supply. 



A very considerable number of varieties have bloomed and fruited this 

 season, but the fruits have been so few and scattered that they generally 

 were taken by birds before their ripening season could be determined. 



Since botanists do not distinguish between Heart and Bigarreau, nor 

 yet between Dukes and Morellos, we divide into but the two classes in the 

 following tabulation: 



29 



